This atmospheric watercolour painting by Muirhead Bone (1876–1953) depicts the standing stones at Stenness on Mainland Orkney, an archipelago off the north coast of Scotland. The so-called Stones of Stenness Circle and Henge are thought to be among the earliest henge monuments in the British Isles, dating back over 5,000 years. The four surviving stones - varying in size and reaching up to six metres tall - are the last remnants of what was once a stone circle on an ancient ceremonial site. Although Bone is best known for his etchings and dry points, he was also an accomplished watercolourist. His subject matter often reflected his early training as an architectural draughtsman apprentice, combining interests in both architecture and landscape. In the Stones of Stenness - a Neolithic example of construction in its most elemental form - Bone may have found a compelling convergence of these two themes.

Sir Muirhead Bone HRSA HRSW HON RE HON ARIBA, 1876-1953

The son of a journalist, Bone was born in Glasgow and attended evening classes at Glasgow School of Art while apprenticed to an architect for three years. In 1894 he decided to become a full-time artist, working for a period as a freelance illustrator for the Scots Pictorial. His architectural training left him with a fascination with buildings, which he often depicted under construction and demolition. A consummate draughtsman, he first came to prominence as a printmaker, later becoming an etcher of international renown. However, he is remembered chiefly for his drawings in a range of media. He travelled widely, and was a distinguished was artist during both world wars.