Muirhead
Bone was born in
Glasgow, Scotland,
in 1876. His brother was James Bone, who later
worked as a journalist for the Manchester
Guardian. Bone was trained as an architect but worked as a
etcher and watercolour artist. Bone settled in London
in 1901 where he became a member of the New
English Art Club.
On the outbreak of the First World War, the
government minister, Charles Masterman,
became the head of the War Propaganda Bureau
(WPB). At first the WPB concentrated on producing pamphlets. Masterman
was aware that the right sort of pictures would help the war effort.
In May 1916 Masterman recruited Bone as Britain's first official war
artist. Commissioned as an honorary second lieutenant, Bone arrived
in France during the Battle of the Somme.
After completing 150 drawings of the war, Bone returned to England
in October, 1916. Bone was then replaced by his brother-in-law, Francis
Dodd. Over the next few months Bone drew pictures of shipyards
and battleships. He visited France again in 1917 where he took particular
interest in the ruined towns and villages.
After the Armistice, Bone returned
to the type of work he produced before the war. Knighted in 1937,
Bone was also a war artist in the Second World War.
Sir Muirhead Bone died in 1953.
Muirhead Bone, The Great Crater (1917)
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