Liberty Bell
1912
Medium
lithograph
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.6901
Art Historical Context
In the Prints and Drawings galleries of the National Gallery of, Joseph Pennell's *Liberty Bell* (1912) stands as a striking lithograph from the esteemed Rosenwald Collection. Penn, a prominent American artist and lithographer active in the late 19 and early 20th, was renowned for his masterful depictions of architecture, industry, and national landmarks. This work captures the iconic cracked bell—America's enduring symbol of independence and liberty—housed in Philadelphia's Independence Hall, rendered with dramatic lighting and intricate detail that highlights its weathered surface and symbol...
About the Artist
Joseph Pennell · 1857–1926
Joseph Pennell (1857–1926) was born in Philadelphia to Quaker parents and displayed an early aptitude for drawing, finding solace in sketching amid a challenging childhood. He received initial drawing instruction from James R. Lambdin and his first etching lessons from Stephen Ferris in 1879. Pennell attended night classes at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art before studying at ...