Govan 

Muirhead Bone made this drawing, "Govan," using graphite on paper. A network of lines composes buildings that fill the space. The pale tonality summons an emotional reaction of urban melancholy. The composition invites us to consider the relationship between structure and decay. Bone uses a dense layering of graphite to represent the architecture, with scaffolding bisecting the buildings. These lines aren't just descriptive; they function as signifiers of the industrial activity and urban transformation happening within the city. The drawing operates within a semiotic system where buildings, cranes, and workers are all signs of urban life. Bone doesn’t simply document the scene but interprets it through a visual language that challenges fixed meanings. The open composition acknowledges the ever-changing nature of urban environments. It is a work of progress, never complete, and always open to re-interpretation.