Distant Fermo (Italy) - No. 1 1911

Muirhead Bone etched this small but powerful work, Distant Fermo, using delicate lines to describe a distant view. I can only imagine Bone, squinting out at the scene, trying to capture it with a network of tiny marks. It's funny how marks can lead us on a train of thought, each one connecting to the next. I think Bone was particularly interested in line – not just as a descriptive tool, but as something that could suggest light, depth, and texture. Look at how he uses a web of lines to create the impression of that far-off hilltop village! And the light! The way it plays across the landscape is just amazing. You can almost feel the sun on your skin as you gaze into it, and it makes me wonder whether Bone found himself transported. It's like he's inviting us to think about how we, too, might find meaning and beauty in the world around us.