The Jews' Quarters, Leeds.

Sir Muirhead Bone (1876-1953) was a Scottish artist known for his piquant drypoint etchings, draughtsmanship and watercolours. Bone originally trained as an architect at the Glasgow School of Art. After initially taking night classes, he turned to printmaking in 1898. Self-taught, his early works likely took the style of those he studied, chiefly Charles Meryon and James Whistler. In 1901 Bone moved to London, quickly gaining a reputation, moving in the same circles as art collector Campbell Dodgson and D.Y. Cameron: a contemporary to Bone in etching and a fellow Scotsman. In 1916, Bone successfully campaigned for the role of the first official British War Artist, filling the position in both World War One and World War Two. Between the World Wars, Bone continued to build up a considerable reputation, exhibiting frequently in both London and New York. A mentor of many young artists, he served as a trustee of the Tate Gallery, the National Gallery and Imperial War Museum. He was knighted in 1937.

Bone's watercolours and lustrous drawings are evidence of his incredible skill in depicting often grim wartime landscapes and human activity. However, it is in his drypoints that we can see his true mastery over architectural detail. His strengths are in rendering line and balance to create dynamic cityscapes, concerned primarily with the existence of buildings in all their states, including the comings and goings of their construction. Bone's architectural training is a fetchingly persistent ‘backbone’ in these works.

This print is a depiction of the densely populated living conditions of early 20th century Leeds, with the Gothic Revival church of Leeds Minster presiding in the distnce over the city. In capturing the rangy spires and tower of the Church, Bone utilises the sketching capabilities that the medium of drypoint can afford as well as his personal architectural know-how.

After printing the first four proofs in 1908, Bone did not return to the work until 1921, making alterations to the drypoint before publishing the edition.

Sources:

British Museum: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/term_details.aspx?bioId=131762

David Cohen, ‘Bone, Muirhead’, Grove Art Online, Oxford Art Online, Oxford University Press, accessed: 6 December 2017

Harold J. Wright, ‘Sir Muirhead Bone; Catalogue of prints from 1908 to 1939 being a continuation of Campbell Dodgson’s Catalogue of etchings and drypoints from 1898-1907’, Photocopied by the British Museum from the typescript in the possession of Messrs P & D Colnaghi, August, 1981, pl. 249, pp. 19-20

National Galleries Scotland, https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/sir-muirhead-bone

Wikipedia, 'Muirhead Bone', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirhead_Bone

Dr Mark Stocker   Curator, Historical International Art   December 2017