Bookplate: Girl with Three Scallops 1927

Curator: Eric Gill, born in 1882, designed this bookplate for Kate Fletcher. The artwork, entitled "Girl with Three Scallops," is a simple but evocative image. Editor: It feels ancient, almost like a frieze you'd find on a temple wall. There's a playful awkwardness, too. Curator: Gill's work often reflects his interest in classical forms, but viewed through a lens of the early 20th century. The female figure and the seashells are loaded with cultural meaning. We see this as far back as Botticelli. Editor: Right, fertility, pilgrimage, Venus herself. But here it’s… quieter, more personal. Almost like a secret emblem. Curator: Bookplates often functioned that way, as quiet declarations of identity and taste. Gill was very interested in the body. Editor: Well, now I want my own bookplate. Maybe with a very dramatic pineapple. Curator: That image choice would be very telling. Editor: Exactly! It's all about context, isn't it?