The Lion, Chicago 1910

Joseph Pennell made this print, The Lion, Chicago, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. The etching is so delicate, like he’s trying to catch a fleeting impression, a memory, or a dream of the city. Look at how he's built up the buildings with these tiny, nervous lines. You can almost feel the pressure of the needle on the plate, the way he's scratched and cross-hatched to create depth and shadow. It’s all about texture, the roughness of the stone, the glint of light on the windows. It's almost as if the buildings are alive, breathing, shifting. Take a look at the sky, its this swirling mass of lines, a real contrast with the firm lines of the buildings. There is a real sense of dynamism here, you know? Turner comes to mind, with his love of light and atmosphere. Ultimately, this piece reminds us that art is about process, about the conversation between the artist and their materials, about the way we see and experience the world.