Cranes at Duisburg. (Germany)

Cranes at Duisburg (Germany) is an etching by Joseph Pennell, signed in pencil and inscribed “Imp. first state.” The scene depicts the port city of Duisburg, an important industrial center along the Rhine. Towering cranes dominate the composition, their angular forms silhouetted against the sky as they rise above the busy waterfront. Pennell’s precise linework and tonal depth convey both the scale and motion of modern industry, turning the machinery of commerce into a study of rhythm and form. The “first state” inscription indicates an early impression, printed under the artist’s supervision and valued for its clarity and strength of line.