The City Bridge, St. Louis
1919
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1919
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The City Bridge, St. Louis is a 1919 ink by Joseph Pennell, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a busy bridge packed with ships and rigging, stretching across a river. Below, the water is calm, and a small town sits on the far shore with a few trees and buildings. The lines are loose and scratchy, giving it a rough, hurried feel. The artist used a technique that lets ink sit in the grooves of the plate, creating dark lines against a lighter background. This makes the ships and bridge stand out sharply. Next, check out the technique: etching to see how it works.
![The City Bridge, St. Louis [bottom]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/bb02af50b68cd7e2/thumb.webp)
![The Eads Bridge, St. Louis [top]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/5e23fa5f4cd6aa2c/thumb.webp)
