Plazza del Comune, Pistoia
1883
Medium
etching and drypoint in black on wove paper
Dimensions
plate: 24.29 × 22.7 cm (9 9/16 × 8 15/16 in.) sheet: 43.18 × 30.8 cm (17 × 12 1/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, Mary E. Maxwell Fund)
Accession Number
2015.19.302
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
In the heart of Italy's Tuscany region lies the historic Piazza del Comune in Pistoia, vividly captured in Joseph Pennell's 1883 etching *Plazza del Comune, Pistoia*. Pennell, an acclaimed American artist (1857–1926) and pioneer of the late-19th-century etching revival, traveled extensively through Europe, documenting architectural gems with a keen eye for light, shadow, and urban energy. This print, measuring about 9½ × 9 inches on its plate, reflects his fascination with medieval Italian town squares, blending intricate detail with atmospheric depth to evoke the piazza's lively communal spir...
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 ...