Near Messina 

Muirhead Bone's "Near Messina" captures a serene landscape in ink and watercolor. Dominating the scene, the mountains stand as silent witnesses to the passage of time. Mountains, throughout art history, have symbolized the sublime, a connection to the divine, and a retreat from earthly concerns. These natural formations are not merely geological features; they are imbued with cultural and spiritual significance. Consider how, in Chinese landscape painting, mountains are often depicted as the dwelling places of immortals, or how the steep rocky Mount Horeb is mentioned in the Book of Exodus. Even in Bone's rendering, the mountains evoke a sense of timelessness, a steadfastness that speaks to our collective memory. The viewer is invited to contemplate the cyclical nature of history, the way landscapes persist, bearing witness to the ebb and flow of human endeavor. These mountains speak to the enduring power of the natural world, a force that dwarfs human achievements.