Forthcoming
Eric Gill
(1882 - 1940)
Rossall School War Memorial Altarpiece, 1927
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Eric Gill (1882 - 1940)
Physick 818 on a label to the base
The original block, 4 x 7 in. (10 x 17 cm.) including integral base.
Size:
Height – 10cm
Width – 17cm
Eric Gill greatly prized his woodblocks – he bought them back from the Golden Cockerel Press, ran gesso
into them, carved them into silhouettes and mounted them on pedestals as free standing objects.
The Four Gospels, designed by The Golden Cockerel Press and with
engravings by Eric Gill, printed as an edition of 500, was the
culminating achievement of the private press movement. Robin Gartin,
in British Printmakers 1855-1955, has described it as ‘being among the
greatest book productions between the Wars’
Robert Gibbings, the owner of The Golden Cockerel Press, was
responsible for setting the type, leaving appropriate spaces for which
Gill designed the initial letters and words. Leaves curl into the space
between paragraphs, swords hang down into the margin, and the symbols of
the evangelists each hold up the title of their gospel. It was a
marriage of image and text that recalls the best of medieval illuminated
manuscripts, yet is suited perfectly to the modern age and flawless in
its execution.
Experts on type and design have always been united in their praise of
Eric Gill√Øs typeface designs. Robert Harling spoke of the letters’character and beauty, discipline and gaiety, whilst Stanley Morison
said: The capitals that he did, I think, will be immortal. They’ll be
used as long as the Roman alphabet is ever used anywhere. 
Letters are things, not pictures of things Eric Gill
Sculptor, engraver, letter-carver and typographer, born in Brighton, Sussex, the son of a Congregationalist minister and always referred to as Eric Gill. He became articled to W.H. Carse, architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in London in 1900. Gill attended evening classes at Central School of Arts & Crafts who studied letter design under Edward Johnston, he also began to carve in stone. By 1904, he was making a living from letter engraving and in 1910 began making figure sculpture and held his first solo exhibition at the Chenil Gallery, London, 1911 and about this time made several visits to the little-known Leeds Art Club. He set up an artistic community or artists colony in Ditchling, Sussex and was converted to Roman Catholicism in 1913.
In 1924, he moved to Capel-y-ffin in Wales and over the next four years produced much of his greatest engraved work, mainly for Gibbing’s Golden Cockerel Press. He moved again to High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire in 1928 and though a controversial figure in that his sexual improprieties remained in conflict with his Catholic faith, Gill is nowadays regarded as one of the greatest craftsmen of the 20th century, a typographer and letter cutter of skill and a masterly wood engraver. Gill was appointed RDI in 1936 one of the Royal Society of Arts earliest recipients and was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Gill was a member of the Art Workers’ Guild, Society of Wood Engravers and contributed articles to various publications including Industrial Arts in 1936. Retrospective exhibition venues include Kettle’s Yard, 1979 and the Barbican Art Gallery, London, 1992-93 which also toured the UK. His prints are regularly exhibited at KHG, Marlborough, Wiltshire and previously at the Piccadilly Gallery. Examples of his work particularly his prints are in the collections of the V&A, BM, Brighton Art Gallery, Doncaster Art Gallery, Museums Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent Art Gallery and Hull University.
With thanks to artbiogs.co.uk
Whilst Eric Gill’s importance in the shaping of 20th century art and design history is beyond doubt, it is equally impossible to ignore the fact that his moral conduct – first bought to public attention in 1989 by the publication of his diaries – is not something that should be excused, or minimised.
The challenges posed by evaluating Eric Gill’s work offers an opportunity to address questions that are far reaching : can a work of art be separated from the person who created it and the period in which it was created? Liss Llewellyn welcome debate on how best to interpret and communicate sensitively and without sensationalism the issues that arise out of this; ultimately these are questions that apply to all artists and all artworks.
