Whistler & Pennell: Etching the city

Works by two of the most influential and innovative etchers, James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) and Joseph Pennell (1857-1926), go on display at the Lady Lever Art Gallery from 4 May to 7 October 2018.
Whistler and Pennell: Etching the City features 38 prints that capture the changing landscape of two major cities, New York and London (and their surrounding areas), in the final years of the industrial revolution.

The artists shared an interest in architecture, engineering and industry. Whistler's etchings of London capture the individual characteristics of the city and its workers. Ships, sailors, cargo, smoke and warehouses give a sense of working life on the River Thames in the mid-19th century. Made 50 years later and inspired by Whistler, Pennell's views of New York skyscrapers show the city growing and the accompanying gritty etchings of neighbouring steel, coal and oil works give some insight into the industries powering the city's expansion.

Curator of the exhibition, Alex Patterson said: "The prints in this exhibition are bursting with the bustle, life and energy of two major cities going through extraordinary growth and change. It is fascinating to compare the work of the two artists whose approach differed but who shared a passion and a belief in the medium of etching."

The exhibition is drawn entirely from the Walker Art Gallery's collection of more than 8,000 works on paper, which spans from the early Medieval and Renaissance period to the present day and features works of international significance.

The exhibition is accompanied by an exciting public programme of free activities for all ages.