The Body of Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross 1917

Editor: This is Eric Gill's wood engraving, "The Body of Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross." It's so small, yet the stark black and white creates such a powerful image of grief. What social or political factors might have influenced Gill's creation of this piece? Curator: Gill, deeply religious, lived in a time of shifting views on religion and the role of art. This work, in its simplified form, speaks to a desire to make religious narratives accessible in a modern, perhaps even secular, world. How does its starkness affect its accessibility, do you think? Editor: It feels very direct, less ornamented than traditional depictions. Almost like a woodcut you might see in a socialist publication. Curator: Precisely. Consider how Gill's style, rooted in craft and often commissioned by religious institutions, navigates the space between devotional object and public statement. This tension makes it a fascinating historical artifact. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. It makes me think about the artist's intentions in a new light.