The Portico, British Museum 1905

Joseph Pennell created this etching, titled 'The Portico, British Museum,' a study in light and shadow, in the late 19th and early 20th century. Pennell, an American expatriate, spent much of his career documenting the architectural landscape of Europe. The British Museum, with its imposing neoclassical façade, embodies the imperial ambitions of the British Empire. Pennell’s choice to depict the museum might be seen as a celebration of this cultural institution and the colonial project it represents. But look closer. The figure at the center seems dwarfed by the monumental scale of the building. Is Pennell suggesting the individual's insignificance in the face of grand institutions? The stark contrasts and dense lines create a sense of weightiness, evoking feelings of awe, but perhaps also alienation. Pennell captures not only the physical space but also the psychological space between the individual and the institution. The image invites us to reflect on our own relationship to cultural heritage and the power structures that shape our understanding of history.