Rainy Day, Oviedo 

Muirhead Bone made this watercolor and graphite drawing, titled "Rainy Day, Oviedo," sometime in his career, capturing a street scene in Spain. Bone, a Scottish artist, was known for his depictions of urban landscapes and architectural subjects. Here, we see a blend of old and new: a traditional ox-drawn cart shares the road with early automobiles and buses. This juxtaposition reflects a society in transition, caught between agrarian past and industrial future. The overcast sky and wet streets add to the sense of everyday life continuing, even under less-than-ideal conditions. Studying the urban development of Oviedo during Bone's time, alongside exhibition records or personal correspondence related to his travels, might further illuminate the cultural context in which this work was created. Art history, after all, situates the work of art within its changing social and institutional circumstances.