Gertrude Hermes R.A. (British, 1901-1983) Two People Wood engraving, 1934, a fine impression, on...

Gertrude Hermes R.A. (British, 1901-1983) Two People (Russell 85) Wood engraving, 1934, a fine impression, on cream wove paper with watermark 'British Emblem/Made in England', signed, titled, dated and numbered 9/25 in pencil, printed and published by the artist, framed Image 508 x 305mm (20 x 12in); Sheet 593 x 410mm (23 3/8 x 16 1/8in) Footnotes: Provenance Private Collection, U.K. Gertrude Hermes was a printmaker and sculptor, who was one of the leading figures in the revival of wood engraving in the early 20th century. She studied at Leon Underwood's Brook Green School of Painting and Sculpture in the 1920s, where her fellow students included Henry Moore, Eileen Agar and Blair Hughes-Stanton, who would become her husband. She was a member of the English Wood Engraving Society, exhibiting regularly there and at the Royal Academy. She taught wood engraving and lino-cutting at the Central School of Art and the Royal Academy Schools, becoming an Associate of Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers in 1963 and a Royal Academician in 1971, where she successfully campaigned for female academicians to attend the annual RA banquet which had hitherto been an exclusively male affair. Skill and accuracy are necessary for wood engraving. The extremely hard and fine-grained boxwood is used, which allows for precise incisions without splintering and the artist employs a number of tools to express a wide range of tone and texture. Two People depicts two figures embracing, enclosed in a womb-like shape, which brings together Hermes' interest in natural forms and African sculpture, which was a passion for Leon Underwood. This is one of her largest prints and showcases her talent as a draughtswoman with the sinuous forms and the different techniques employed to create a sense of drama and mystery. The physical intimacy conveys an emotional intensity, which was perhaps more intense for Hermes at this point after the breakdown of her marriage in 1933. Hermes was much admired and respected during her lifetime, but her modesty and lack of self-promotion means that her work has been somewhat overshadowed by other artists of her generation. The quality of her work, with its imaginative interpretation of form and skilful execution, places her at the forefront of the revival of wood engraving and she was recognized as such with an exhibition at the Hepworth Wakefield Gallery in 2016. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: AR AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing