Corpus Christi Procession, Santiago c. 1925 - 1930

Muirhead Bone made this watercolor and graphite drawing, Corpus Christi Procession, Santiago, and I am struck by the simplicity with which he has captured the grandeur of the procession. The drawing is so process oriented, the graphite lines visible, like a scaffold. Bone is not trying to hide his working. And what's amazing is how with just a few muted washes of color, he brings the crowd to life. Look at the way he renders the faces in the foreground, just a few strokes defining features, yet each one feels individual. And then notice how he uses the architecture as a grounding structure for the scene. It reminds me of some of Kathe Kollwitz’s drawings. Both artists use line and wash to convey a sense of movement and emotion. They are both comfortable with the ambiguity that comes with the territory of drawing, and that openness is what makes the work so alive.