Plymouth, Massachusetts 

Muirhead Bone rendered Plymouth, Massachusetts with watercolor and graphite on paper. Bone's choice of materials, watercolor and graphite, are interesting. Watercolor, typically associated with sketches and studies, offers transparency and fluidity; the graphite adds definition. Bone uses light washes and precise lines, creating a hazy atmosphere. The visible brushstrokes and pencil work remind us of the hand involved in the making. The steamboat, rendered with remarkable detail, seems to emphasize the city's maritime industry and links to global trade, with Plymouth as a crucial port. Bone has chosen to imbue the artwork with social and cultural significance through both the subject and the technique. Thinking about Bone’s image, we appreciate the artistic skill involved, but also the ways that social and economic forces are embedded in the image itself. The harbor is both a site of great beauty and a busy hub of labor.