Foster's Boathouse, Cambridge 1903

Muirhead Bone made this etching of Foster's Boathouse in Cambridge. Imagine Bone, carefully layering thin lines, cross-hatching, and flicks to create this scene. I wonder what he was thinking as he worked, capturing the reflections in the water. The textures pull me in. Look at the complex web of lines that form the leaves of the trees on the left, their branches gently reaching towards the building, mirrored in the river below. There’s a dialogue here between the natural and the built environment, each rendered with such care. I think of Whistler and other etchers and painters obsessed with capturing the fleeting moments of city life, light, and atmosphere. This feels like a continuation of that conversation, each artist responding to the world around them. It's a reminder that art isn't made in a vacuum. Each work builds upon what came before, and informs what comes next. The act of seeing, etching, and printing allows for infinite interpretations and meanings over time.