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Lot Essay
In August 1924, Eric Gill (1882-1940) moved with his family to a former monastery in Capel-y-ffin on the English-Welsh boarder; he was joined in December by David Jones who became engaged to his daughter Petra, in June of the same year. Jones’ surroundings clearly influenced his work and the following year he embarked upon a series of depictions of the Crucifixion. Among the strongest examples of these is his small gouache Sanctus Christus de Capel-y-ffin, 1925 (Tate, London), which bears a strong compositional similarity to the present lot. During this period, Jones was also working on a number of small boxwood carvings and the present lot can be interpreted as a hybrid of these carvings and the Crucifixion paintings.
In 1928 the Gills left Capel-y-ffin and moved to Pigotts, near High Wycombe. The title of the present lot is taken from the Anthony d’Offay label underneath and indicates that it was housed in the family chapel at Pigotts. It is likely that the work dates from circa 1925 and was potentially a very personal artwork that Gill took with him when he moved to Pigotts for the chapel there. On the reverse is the Latin inscription ‘Jesu Esto Mihi Jesus’, which translates as ‘Jesus be to me my Saviour’ and is often recited at confessional.
In 1928 the Gills left Capel-y-ffin and moved to Pigotts, near High Wycombe. The title of the present lot is taken from the Anthony d’Offay label underneath and indicates that it was housed in the family chapel at Pigotts. It is likely that the work dates from circa 1925 and was potentially a very personal artwork that Gill took with him when he moved to Pigotts for the chapel there. On the reverse is the Latin inscription ‘Jesu Esto Mihi Jesus’, which translates as ‘Jesus be to me my Saviour’ and is often recited at confessional.