A Fitting-Out Basin Possibly 1917 - 1918

Muirhead Bone made this drawing of a fitting-out basin, and look at how he renders all the girders and cables with this incredible sense of detail. It feels like he's revealing the inner-workings of the scene to us, but also reveling in the act of drawing itself. The physical materiality of the drawing is compelling. The network of etched lines constructs a space that is both intricate and expansive, as if Bone is trying to capture the enormity of the docks and harbor. Notice how he uses these marks to describe the play of light on water, and the sheer mass of the ships and machinery. The cross-hatching in the sky feels almost gestural by contrast. The drawing reminds me of those Piranesi etchings, but with a twist of industrial grit. Both artists share a fascination with scale and perspective, but Bone brings a modern sensibility to his vision, emphasizing the human element within these massive structures. Just beautiful.