The Colonnade, Glasgow Exhibition 1901

Muirhead Bone made this etching, *The Colonnade, Glasgow Exhibition,* using a metal plate, acid, and ink. Etching is a printmaking technique that employs acid to cut into a metal plate, creating lines that hold ink. The success of an etching depends on controlling the corrosion of the plate's surface. Bone would have applied a waxy, acid-resistant ground to the plate, then scratched his design into it with a needle. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. The longer the plate remained in the acid, the deeper and darker the lines would become. After removing the ground, Bone inked the plate, wiping away excess ink from the surface but leaving it in the etched lines. The plate was then pressed against paper, transferring the ink and creating the print you see here. The process transforms the architecture of Glasgow's exhibition into a shadow of its former self. Bone’s mastery of line and tone conveys a sense of atmosphere and place, making the most of a difficult, demanding medium. Ultimately, appreciating the labor and skill involved is key to fully understanding and valuing Bone's artistic achievement.