Pennell << PEHN uhl >>, Joseph (1857-1926), was an American printmaker. Pennell became best known for his lithographs and etchings, but he also created silk-screen prints, engravings called mezzotints, drawings, and water colors. Pennell experimented with various inks and antique papers to produce unusual effects in some of his prints. His most famous works include lithographs of factories, New York City skyscrapers, and scenes of the construction of the Panama Canal.
Pennell was born on July 4, 1857, in Philadelphia, where he studied drawing and etching. He moved to London in 1884. There, Pennell became a close friend of the artist James A. M. Whistler, who strongly influenced his style. While in London, Pennell and his wife, Elizabeth Robins, wrote several books on lithography and etching. They also collaborated on a two-volume biography of Whistler, which was published in 1908. Pennell and his wife returned to the United States in 1917. Pennell died on April 23, 1926.
