Some Books of the Week A MONOGRAPH upon an artist
has never been better produced than Mr. Joseph ThorPs Eric Gill (Jonathan Cape, 25s.), with a critical essay . by Charles Marriott. Title-page, type and plates are virtually perfect, and the photographer has-done his Work:with a touch of genius. Mi. Thorp gives us' a modest and simple account of the artist and his aims, quoting largely from the artist's writings. But we cannot quite share Mr. 'Thorp's approval of Gill's thinking and writing. For the most part we should be happier without it, because irseems to obscure.- so much that is importantin Gill's. work of which he is the last person to be aware. Essen- tially. Gill carves as • an English-aan will always carve, as Englishmen have carved since the time of King Alfred.
Does Mr. Gill know this ? Essentially Gill is a pagan in his sensuous and sensitive knowledge and love of the exquisitely subtle variations of the human form in outline; • But Gill tries to pretend that he is inspired solely by the principles of Christianity. Sonictimes the cloven hoof is visible, we are glad to say !' " At the altar," says Gill, " and in the confes- sional the priest is impregnable, but as critic of the works of men he is often beneath contempt." In unchristian manner we applaud. Let us, be frank and treat the man as an artist who carves because he must, and carves at times magnificently.. His exquisite drawings, .of which that on plate 36 is the most beautiful, place' him in the very front rank of artists —hose sole concern is beauty., We can only regret that Mr. Thorp included as plate 1 the atrocious crucifix in the Tate Gallery which the Worst thing. Gill ever did and which he detests himself. Mr. Thorp is frankly - uncritical ; he leaves that to Mr. Marriott. But what Mr. Marriott says seems so trivial as not to be worth. printing ; -it is 'just the sort of pleasant stuff that a chairman might utter 'at an agreeable meeting, tactful but not helpful, cautious but not instructive. We prefer Mr. Thorp, and congratulate him upon this bOok.
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