Bosphorus near Kandira (?) 

Muirhead Bone created this delicate pencil and watercolor drawing, Bosphorus near Kandira (?), sometime during his career, capturing a serene view of the Turkish straits. Bone, as a war artist during World War I, was keenly aware of the political and military importance of the Bosphorus, which connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and, subsequently, the Mediterranean. The scene presents a tranquil facade, but at the time it was made the straits were a crucial strategic point, influencing trade and military movements. The light washes of watercolor give a soft, almost dreamlike quality to the landscape, contrasting with the tense geopolitical undercurrents of the period. Muirhead Bone's drawing invites reflection on how landscapes are not just passive backdrops but are active participants in the unfolding dramas of human history.