London over Charing Cross Bridge 1910

Joseph Pennell made this print called 'London over Charing Cross Bridge' with etching, and it's like he's feeling out the shape of the city. The marks feel provisional, like the city is half there. He's got these long, scratchy lines, right? They build up into towers and bridges, but they also kind of dissolve back into the paper. Look at how the bridge almost melts into the river. It's about capturing a fleeting moment, an impression. It reminds me a bit of Whistler, who was also super into London, but Pennell's got this rawness. He's not trying to pretty things up. He's showing you the grit, the grime, the energy of this crazy city. It's about process, about how an image comes into being, rather than a finished product. And like all good art, it stays open to interpretation, right? It’s an invitation to keep looking, to keep questioning.