1912
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Approach to Gatun Lock is a 1912 ink by Joseph Pennell, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a big water lock—two towering concrete walls with gates and a narrow waterway between them. Cranes and ships loom in the background, while a train track runs alongside the structure. The lines are rough and quick, like a hurried sketch, with shadows and machinery drawn in simple strokes. The artist focused on the raw, industrial feel of the locks, capturing the scale and complexity of the engineering. This was part of the Panama Canal project, a massive effort to connect oceans. Check out how this was made using lithography.
Joseph Pennell (July 4, 1857 – April 23, 1926) was an American draftsman, etcher, lithographer, and illustrator for books and magazines.
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