The Flat Iron (from portfolio, Lithographs of New York in 1904)
1905
Medium
Graphic Arts-Print
Classification
Graphic Arts-Print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Olin Dows
Accession Number
1983.90.145
Tags
Art Historical Context
Joseph Pennell's *The Flat Iron* (1905), from his portfolio *Lithographs of York in 1904*, captures the iconic Flatiron Building—one of New York City's earliest skyscrapers—in a striking lithographic print. Pennell, a prominent American artist and master of graphic arts, was renowned for his dynamic depictions of urban architecture, blending precision with atmospheric drama. This work exemplifies his ability to transform steel and stone into poetic visions of modernity. Created just three years after the Flatiron's completion in 1902, the print reflects New York's explosive growth at the dawn...
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 ...