Brewhouses, Southampton 1904

'Brewhouses, Southampton' is an etching by Muirhead Bone. Born in Scotland in 1876, Bone was celebrated for his detailed depictions of architecture and urban landscapes. Bone’s meticulous technique renders the brewhouses with remarkable clarity, yet it's crucial to consider the social implications of such a scene. Brewhouses, essential to local economies, were also spaces of labor, often exploiting the working class. Bone's vision, while seemingly neutral, thus prompts us to think about the dynamics of labor and industry during his time. Bone's aesthetic choices reflect his conservative artistic values and his belief in the heroic nature of labor, an attitude not uncommon among artists of his era. This prompts us to reflect on how artists, even with the best intentions, can perpetuate or challenge existing social structures. The print invites us to consider whose stories are being told and whose are being left out.