Pope's Casino, Vatican Gardens c. 1910 - 1915

Muirhead Bone created this drawing, “Pope’s Casino, Vatican Gardens,” using graphite. Bone had been appointed as a war artist during World War I. Interestingly, he was the first official British war artist. His experiences during the war profoundly influenced his artistic perspective. “Pope’s Casino, Vatican Gardens” is an intimate look into a space usually reserved for the powerful. What is normally out of reach is made available for consideration. Are we, as viewers, made to feel included or like outsiders looking in? The delicate lines soften the architecture, evoking a feeling of being in a private, secluded place. Here, Bone seems to reflect on the idea of access and privilege, inviting us to consider the ways in which power dynamics shape our perception of space and history.