Device: S. Thomas’s Hands 1926

Curator: This is Eric Gill's "Device: S. Thomas’s Hands," housed here at the Tate. It's a wood engraving. Editor: It feels incredibly intimate despite its scale, like a secret handshake rendered in stark lines. The touch is so delicate! Curator: Indeed. The composition is striking. Note how the hands intersect, forming the letter "W," with the cross hovering above. Editor: And the text—"Libertas"—integrates so seamlessly, rising with the hand on the left. It's all about freedom, right? Curator: Precisely. The formal elements—the stark contrast, the clean lines—speak to Gill's commitment to clarity and precision in his craft. Editor: I'm struck by the tension between the graphic rigidity and the implied human connection. It's as if the hands yearn for something more. Curator: A compelling observation! Gill's work often explores such dichotomies: sacred and profane, sensual and spiritual. Editor: Right, well, I guess the freedom he's expressing really comes through. I feel like I've got a good handle on it, now. Curator: Indeed, Eric Gill offers us a very engaging exploration of graphic symbolism with surprising economy.