Eric Gill, 'Ecstasy', 1910-1

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Eric Gill, Ecstasy, 1910-1 This sculpture was owned by the collector Edward Perry Warren, of Lewes, Sussex, who also commissioned Rodin to make him 'The Kiss'. Gill carved the relief over a period of seven months, and called it 'They'. The title of 'Ecstasy' emerged after his death. When making this work, Gill was strongly influenced by Indian temple sculptures, which often showed couples in the act of copulation. Gill's sculpture, like that found on Indian temples, had a spiritual content. He wrote that 'All creative acts have God for their author. The human act of begetting is a type of divine creative power'. Gill titled a drawing for this work 'Christ and the Church'.