Important European Terracotta & Bronze Sculpture from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections

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Lot 576
  • 576

Eric Gill

Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 USD
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Description

  • Eric Gill
  • A group of designs for different projects:a, b, c) two designs for ariel learns celestial music and one for ariel between wisdom and gaiety;d) design for a wall relief with dancing figures;e) a double-sided study of a crouching woman
  • a, b, c) All pencil;
    all signed with initials: EG; numbered: 22, 23, 24; 1, 2, 3 and 18, 17; inscribed: ariel between wisdom and gaiety, First sketch / for panels in Portland Place, and ariel 'listening in', Wisdom's book inscribed: OB-SCU / LTA;
    mounted on invitations for private views for London galleries, two dated 1929 and 1930;
    d) Pencil and pink wash, with ruled pencil lines;
    dated, lower right: 13.5.'38, and inscribed in lower margin: 6 boys / 6 girls, back, front;
    e) Recto: brown-gray wash over pencil, heightened with white;
    verso: pencil

Provenance

All with the Heim Gallery, London, from whom purchased.

Catalogue Note

The first three drawings in this lot were all made in preparation for Eric Gill's stone reliefs on the exterior of Broadcasting House, the BBC's headquarters, in Portland Place, London.  Two of the three sheets relate to Ariel learns Celestial Music and the third to Ariel between Wisdom and Gaiety.1  The panels were carved in situ over the winter of 1931-2, although Gill started work on the series some months earlier.  On 9th January 1931, the artist wrote to the actor Leslie French who was at the time playing Ariel in The Tempest at the Old Vic Theatre:
'You may have heard that I am to do sculptures of Ariel on the new BBC building.  I am writing to ask if you would care to let me make some drawings from your beautiful figure as a help to me in making the sculpture.  Don't hesistate to say no if you would rather not.  But I should be very glad if you would agree.  Beautiful men are not common.'  French went on to sit for Gill several times.2

The design for the frieze with dancing figures relates to a stone relief Gill made for 202-4 Sloane Street, London in June 1939, for which the drawings were executed the previous year.  Another design for the same project was sold in London, Christie's South Kensington, 17 May 2006, lot 331.3

1. See J. Collins, Eric Gill: The Sculpture, London 1998, p. 176-7, cat. nos. 211-212.
2. Ibid., p. 171
3. For further information see Collins, op.cit, p. 220, cat. no. 287