New England Woods 1920

Curator: Eric Gill's wood engraving, "New England Woods," presents a female nude amidst abstracted trees. It's tiny, only about 9 by 6 centimeters. What's your immediate reaction? Editor: Stark. The starkness of the black ink against the light paper certainly accentuates the composition's bold lines and the figure’s geometric form. Curator: It feels both classical and modern, doesn't it? The figure is reminiscent of a Greek goddess, but the stylized trees are pure Art Deco. Editor: Indeed, the flattened perspective and the rhythmic repetition of the tree patterns reveal Gill's engagement with modernist aesthetics. Note the almost calligraphic quality in the rendering of the woman's form. Curator: The New England woods become a space for a sort of primal awakening. It's all so reduced, so elemental. Editor: Perhaps the small scale invites an intimate contemplation. It's a gem, really. Curator: Precisely.