Joseph Pennell: Surveyor of American Wonders January 18 – March 4, 2006
The Martin Art Gallery at Muhlenberg College proudly hosts Joseph Pennell: Surveyor of American Wonders, January 18 through March 4, 2006.Tuesday, January 10, 2006 01:59 PM
The exhibition, curated by Muhlenberg art history professor Dr. Jadviga da Costa Nunes and Gallery coordinator Kathryn Burke, highlights more than 3 dozen etchings and lithographs made by Philadelphia native Joseph Pennell (1857 –1926). Although he lived and worked abroad for many years, during the late 1800s through the mid-1920s, the celebrated print maker depicted the robust urban development and industrial might evident in many American cities. His prints record the nation’s dynamic growth and vitality, particularly in major east-coast cities--from the iconic skyline of New York City, to the bustling Pennsylvania Railroad Station in Philadelphia. After the United States entered World War I, he also produced a body of work that reflected the vast industrial-military projects being undertaken here at that time.
The exhibition features some of Pennell’s early work--Building the Public Buildings, Philadelphia, 1881 but also includes mid-career lithographs Niagara Rainbows and Coal Breakers, Shenandoah, both made in 1910, and end-of-career etchings Brooklyn Bridge at Night, 1922 and Three Towers(United Fruit Boat), 1925. Prints for the exhibition were selected from the College’s Florence Foerderer Tonner Collection and augmented by a loan from the Allentown Art Museum.
A reception and gallery talk will be held Wednesday, January 25, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. in the Martin Art Gallery, Baker Center for the Arts. The event is open to the public and free of charge.
Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon – 9:00 p.m. and closed during semester breaks. For information, contact Kathryn Burke in the Martin Art Gallery office at 484.664.3467, Mondays through Fridays.
