In the Abruzzi 

Muirhead Bone rendered this watercolour, In the Abruzzi, depicting a church sitting squarely below a mountain. The church, with its reaching tower, is an icon deeply rooted in Western culture. It represents not only spiritual aspiration but also communal identity. We see such structures throughout art history, from Giotto's frescoes in Assisi to Caspar David Friedrich's landscapes. Consider the psychological weight of these towers. They pierce the sky, acting as a bridge between the earthly and the divine, an invitation to transcend the mundane. In Bone's painting, the mountain looms in the background. Mountains are a symbol of the sublime, a powerful and uncontrollable force of nature that dwarfs human endeavor. The church reaches up to the heavens, towards something greater. The symbolic weight has shifted over time, reflecting humanity’s enduring quest for meaning. Each brushstroke carries echoes of cultural memory.