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Muirhead
Bone
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.
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