The Plait 1922

Curator: Eric Gill's wood engraving, "The Plait," depicts the silhouette of a woman, her hair elegantly braided. Editor: It has an immediate aura of quietness to me, a contained sadness, almost like a cameo. Curator: Absolutely, silhouettes often speak to a longing for presence, a shadow of what was. Plaiting itself, across cultures, symbolizes unity and strength. Editor: It's so precisely rendered, almost austere, yet the bow tying the plait adds a touch of vulnerability. A beautiful detail! Curator: Gill was deeply influenced by medieval art, and the simplified forms echo that aesthetic, stripping away the superfluous to reveal essence. Editor: I find myself drawn into the intimacy of it, the untold stories held within that single profile. Curator: Indeed, the enduring power of images lies in their ability to evoke such personal narratives. Editor: Agreed. "The Plait" leaves me pondering what we choose to reveal, and what we keep carefully hidden.