The Mystery Ship, Padstow

Sir Muirhead Bone was a Scottish printmaker and watercolor artist noted for his depictions of architectural subjects, city views, landscapes, and his work as a war artist in both the First and Second World Wars. The picturesque town of Padstow is a small fishing port located on the Camel Estuary on the north coast of Cornwall, England. Bone depicted its small harbor at low tide: seven rowboats are beached in the center foreground; and the hull of the Helen Price lifeboat is partially shown at the left. In the background, visible above the roof of the largest quayside building, are the tall masts and rigging of the "mystery ship"; at center, there is a small building with a sign "MISSION TO SEAMENS [sic]." At the right, along the waterfront, Bone drew a row of buildings lining the narrow street, where a horse-drawn wagon and workmen go about their daily activities. This impression is printed with plate tone to evoke the atmosphere of the sky.