GILL, Eric

Eric Gill ‘The Lovers’ rare proof wood engraving

Description

Eric Gill wood engraving titled ‘Lovers’ showing a couple copulating.  Made in 1924, the Wood engraving is printed on shiny white paper but with large margins. A small light handling fold in margin, otherwise in very good condition.

Size 32 x 76mm (3 1/8 x 1 ¼  inches)

Sheet size 145 x 110mm

Provenance: Residue of the Golden Cockerel collection. Purchased at Bonham’s, Sale no. 20751,2013.

Item details

Reference: Physick 293 , 22.  Gill made two prints titled Lovers in the same year, 1924. Physick 293 (1^st State)  can be found in the British Museum collection where the lovers are in outline, wood engraving with intaglio, the edition is clearly shown as edition of 16.

This wood engraving, I believe is the same image but engraved in wood. Presumably 2^nd State. Of which the edition was only 10 copies were signed and numbered.  Difficulty is that the Physick catalogue is not illustrated and is the image is not reproduced in the Douglas Cleverdon 1929 iconography nor in the Faber & Faber 1934 iconography. Fortunately Goldmark Gallery has had this Eric Gill print to refer to, although his copy was printed on different paper, thin cream wove.