Strandvagen, Stockholm 1923 - 1925

Muirhead Bone made this etching of Strandvagen in Stockholm. I can just imagine Bone standing there, maybe with a small portable printing press, carefully etching into the plate. Look at all those tiny lines, each one placed with intention. There’s a real sense of place in this work. You can almost smell the sea air and hear the sounds of the harbor. It reminds me of Piranesi, another master of architectural etching. But Bone brings a modern sensibility to the genre. I think Bone was trying to capture the energy of this bustling waterfront. The way he uses line to create depth is amazing. And that smokey, sandy color – it almost feels like looking at an old photograph, doesn't it? I feel like I'm there, watching the boats come and go.