Broadway, Above Twenty-Third Street 1904

Joseph Pennell made this drawing of Broadway, above Twenty-Third Street, using pencil and paper, with small marks, almost scribbles. I can imagine Pennell standing on the street, breathing in the atmosphere, feeling the energy of the city, and then trying to capture that feeling on paper. It's as though the drawing emerges from the chaos of the city itself. The marks are quick and light, giving a sense of movement and immediacy, as if Pennell is trying to keep up with the city's relentless pace. The lines aren’t precious or overworked. I sympathize with that – it's really hard to capture such a big feeling! It reminds me that drawing and painting is a constant conversation, a back and forth between what you see and what you feel. He's probably looking at Whistler! Maybe we're all just trying to capture a little piece of the world and make sense of it, one mark at a time.