Person    | Male  Born 22/2/1882  Died 17/11/1940

Eric Gill

Categories: Art, Craft / Design, Sculpture

Sculptor. Born Brighton. One of thirteen children of a clergyman, he remained religious all his life. Passionate believer in the "carving direct" method. His sculptures would sometimes depict controversial passions and his own transgressive sexual passions extended to a long incestuous relationship with his sister. Had strong views on what people should wear. Women, being inferior should cover up. Wrote a book on the effect of trousers on men's bits 'Trousers & The Most Precious Ornament'.

Studied under Johnston and assisted with the creation of the Johnston sans typeface. Then designed his own, the Gill Sans typeface. A 'compare and contrast' is fascinating. In 1914 was invited to design the Great Seal for George V. The design was accepted but never produced because WW1 intervened. More interestingly, at the time no one seems to have spotted that the king's mount was shown in the urination position. A mistake (or piss-take?) repeated by Hardiman in his statue of the mounted Earl Haig in 1937. Gill died Harefield Hospital, Uxbridge.

Other works in London include: relief sculptures on 55 Broadway (3 of the 8 Winds); Prospero and Ariel and others on Broadcasting House; Stations of the cross in Westminster Cathedral; Moorfields; and Doves Bindery and Press plaque (possibly).

2023: For a taste of the on-going controversy that surrounds Gill see the Daily Mail outrage regarding the BBC repairing the vandalised Prospero and Ariel.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Eric Gill

Creations i

British Museum War Memorial

Designed and carved by Eric Gill.

Read More

Edward VII Galleries, British Museum

So, all the sevens then. Eric Gill designed and carved this memorial.

Read More

People's Palace

The plaque names only 6 relief panels but there are 7, music being represente...

Read More

W. H. Hudson Memorial

The sculpture represents Rima, the nature-spirit heroine of Hudson's book "Gr...

Read More

Other Subjects

Charles Maresco Pearce

Charles Maresco Pearce

Artist. Grant Waters has a review of his art which was not known to us before. A number of his London scenes are available on-line. Charles Maresco Pearce was born on 11 June 1874 in South Kensing...

Person, Art

1 memorial
Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

Scientist, artist, etc. - a polymath, the first "renaissance man". Born in Vinci, Italy (No? Really?). Died in France.

Person, Art, Science, Seriously Famous, Italy

3 memorials
Sir John Gilbert

Sir John Gilbert

Born Blackheath. Illustrator and painter. He was closely associated with the Old Watercolour Society, becoming president in 1871. He also achieved fame as an illustrator of Shakespeare’s works and ...

Person, Art

1 memorial
Sir Frank Brangwyn

Sir Frank Brangwyn

Artist. Born Bruges, Belgium where his father was working as an architect/artist but his Anglo-Welsh family moved back to London in 1874. Largely self-taught he was skilled in various mediums and c...

Person, Art, Belgium, Wales

1 memorial
Lady Lesley Jowitt

Lady Lesley Jowitt

Patron of the arts and Communist Party member. Born as Lesley Stewart McIntyre. Married William, the later Earl Jowitt, in 1913 thus becoming Viscountess Jowitt in 1940.  See Boris Anrep for detail...

Person, Art, Politics & Administration

1 memorial