Joseph Pennell

1857-1926

American (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New York, New York)

Joseph Pennell was born in Philadelphia. After studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, he worked in New Orleans as a book illustrator. He left for Europe in 1884. During his time abroad, Pennell illustrated some of the writings of William Dean Howells, and his prints of scenery, interiors, and individuals established his international reputation. The artist spent most of his working life in Europe, portraying architectural subjects in etchings, pen-and-ink drawings, and lithographs. His views of cathedrals, palaces, and street scenes appeared in Century, McClure's, and Harper's magazines. 

Settling in England in the 1880s, Pennell was part of a group of artists surrounding the American avant-garde painter James McNeill Whistler. During World War I, Pennell created a series of lithographs documenting the war efforts in Britain, France, and the United States, aimed at boosting morale. In other projects, he depicted the Grand Canyon and the building of the Panama Canal. An influential lecturer and critic, Pennell had written or illustrated more than one hundred books by the end of his career.

After profile image: Joseph Pennell. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.