Bed Room, Stenton 1912

Curator: We’re looking at Joseph Pennell’s 1912 etching, “Bed Room, Stenton.” Editor: There’s such a hushed, intimate quality. The composition, the soft shading—it feels like a scene caught in a fleeting moment of quiet contemplation. Curator: Pennell was quite interested in architectural spaces and how they reflected social life. This print exemplifies his command over etching techniques, producing these prints for a growing market interested in representations of domesticity. Note the intricate crosshatching which suggests shadows and depth despite being just lines etched into metal. Editor: The diagonal lines leading the eye across the wooden floor really work to create depth, and the fireplace with its ornamented tiles frames what appears to be a person sat in a chair adding another subtle layer. This formal arrangement gives the artwork its stillness and charm, what do you make of that in a social context? Curator: Well, think of the labour involved in producing these architectural elements; skilled woodworkers, tile makers—their contributions made such scenes possible. Pennell aestheticizes their labor. I would challenge us to see domestic scenes not simply as displays of comfort but of concentrated networks of production and social status. Editor: That is interesting when looking at the curtains and rugs that draw our eye further into the bedroom. I’m struck by the contrast between the precise rendering of the architectural details and the more loosely suggested textiles, which hints at lived-in comfort. Curator: Precisely, the etching itself became a mass produced object consumed and collected widely at the time. It circulated images of upper middle class comfort and style widely through print markets. Editor: It gives me so much to consider, it's clear how Pennell can so elegantly weave together so many forms and shades with an etching technique! Curator: Exactly. Reflecting on its broader impact illuminates some questions about labor, commodity, and class during its creation and distribution.