Girard Trust Building 1920

Here we have Joseph Pennell's "Girard Trust Building", an etching of a building made sometime during his lifetime, from 1857 to 1926. I love the tonal range in this print, which is almost like a painting in ink. It’s all about the scratching and the wiping, like a very physical dance. You can sense Pennell’s hand moving across the plate, digging in with the needle and then selectively removing ink to create these moody, atmospheric effects. The artist’s eye lingers on the classical facade and imposing columns. I imagine him wandering around the city, sketchbook in hand, searching for the perfect angle, thinking about Whistler maybe, or other printmakers who captured the energy of modern life. What was it like to stand on that street corner, feeling the pulse of the city, translating that energy into a network of lines? The people milling around at the front of the building really emphasize the scale. We should all feel free to grab a plate and needle and try it ourselves. That’s where the magic really happens.