Artwork
Manhattan Excavation
Manhattan Excavation is a print by Muirhead Bone. It dates from 1924 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Manhattan Excavation is a print created by Scottish artist Muirhead Bone around 1924, depicting a chaotic urban construction scene in New York City.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures the intensity of early 20th-century industrial expansion through a massive excavation site in Manhattan, contrasted with surrounding buildings and diminutive human figures, highlighting the transformative power of urban development.
Technique & Style
Bone employed sharp, crisscrossing strokes to convey the turmoil of the site, characteristic of his detailed and heavily worked etching style, emphasizing texture and activity.
History & Provenance
As a leading figure in the Etching Revival, Bone's urban landscapes, including this piece, gained prominence. The Cleveland Museum of Art holds this work within its collection.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Muirhead Bone (23 March 1876 – 21 October 1953) was a Scottish etcher and watercolourist who became known for his depiction of industrial and architectural subjects and his work as a war artist in both the First and Second World Wars.
The Guard Gate, Gatun Lock
Demolitions pour la Perement du Boulevard St. Germain
Demolition
The Guard-Gate, Gatun Lock, Panama
Laying the Floor of Pedro Muguel Lock
Lodgings for Gents
Demolition for the Opening of Boulevard St. Germain
On the Clyde, 1917-1918: Reconstructing a Clyde Shipyard
Place Gerson and Rue Restot
Démolitions pour le percement du Boulevard Saint-Germain (Demolitions for the Construction of the Boulevard St. Germain, Paris)
At the Bottom of Gatun Lock
The Old Gun-Pit