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Description:This unique manuscript original antique map of Papua New Guinea ,and the Stations of the Anglican Missions in the eastern portion of the country, was drawn by Evan Robertson Gill, brother of the Arts and Crafts artist Eric Gill and map-maker Macdonald - Max - Gill in 1930 - dated.The maps is also signed and addressed on the verso of the map by Evan.This map was purchased a number of years ago but its significance only became apparent later with the direct connection to Evans (in)famous brother Eric and his equally well known brother MacDonald Gill, known as Max, and his famous map of the London Underground map known as the Wonderground Map.Our research has been unable to find any other maps by Evan but we were understandably excited once the connection was made to his three brothers from the artistic and PNG missionary connection.The map must have been commissioned by Evans brother Archdeacon Stephen Romney Gill, missionary in PNG during the first half of the 20th century, who famously survived in the Lae area of New Guinea, near the Kokoda trail, during the occupation of PNG by the Japanese in 1942/3.
General Definitions:Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy and stablePaper color : - off whiteAge of map color: -Colors used: -General color appearance: -Paper size: - 34in x 19in (865mm x 485mm)Plate size: - 34in x 19in (865mm x 485mm)Margins: - Min 1/4in (5mm)
Imperfections:Margins: - Repairs to tears in left margin, no lossPlate area: - NoneVerso: - Repairs to tears in left margin, no loss
Background: Gill, Evan Robertson 1892 - 1968. Gill was born in Brighton England one of thirteen children. His father Arthur Gill was a clergyman with a family background of missionary work in the South Seas. Evan had three well known brothers Eric Gill the (in)famous Arts and Crafts artist, Macdonald Gill (Max) the decorative map maker - famous for designing the 1914 Wonderground Map of the London Underground - and Stephen Romney Gill 1886 - 1954, Anglican Archdeacon in Papua New Guinea in the early 20th century and during the occupation of PNG by the Japanese in 1942/3.His brothers Stephen & Dr Cecil Gill, were missionaries in Papua New Guinea from 1905 until the 1950s after their Grandfather George Gill & Great Uncle William Gill, both missionaries in the Cook Islands.Leslie MacDonald Gill 1884 – 1947 commonly known as MacDonald Gill or Max Gill, was a noted early-twentieth century graphic designer, cartographer, artist and architect.Born in Brighton, Gill was the younger brother of Eric Gill, one of the leading figures of the Arts and Crafts movement.In 1914 his Wonderground Map, commissioned by Frank Pick, and hung at every station, helped to save the London Underground by presenting an accurate map which also had a humorous side in cartoon style. Produced in poster form, it was also made available for sale to members of the public and proved to be very popular. Elder brother Eric, who at that time was engaged in a commission for Westminster Cathedral, was included at the bottom of the map. Gill showed three works at the first annual exhibition of the newly-formed Society of Graphic Art in 1921.He was the designer of the standard upper case lettering used on headstones and war memorials by the Imperial War Graves Commission. But it is perhaps his illustrated maps for which he is most well known. These maps have featured in a series of exhibitions including Magnificent Maps exhibition in 2010 at the British Library, an exhibition MacDonald Gill, Out of the Shadows in 2011 at the University of Brighton and at the Mind the Map exhibition in 2012 at the London Transport Museum.Arthur Eric Rowton Gill 1882 – 1940 was an English sculptor, typeface designer, and print-maker, who was associated with the Arts and Crafts movement. He is a controversial figure, with his well-known religious views and subject matter generally viewed as being at odds with his sexual behaviour.Gill was born in 1882 in Hamilton Road, Brighton and grew up in the Brighton suburb of Preston Park. One of twelve children, he was the elder brother of MacDonald Max Gill (1884–1947), the graphic artist. In 1897 the family moved to Chichester. He studied at Chichester Technical and Art School, and in 1900 moved to London to train as an architect with the practice of W.D. Caroe, specialists in ecclesiastical architecture.Frustrated with his training, he took evening classes in stone-masonry at the Westminster Technical Institute and in calligraphy at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, where Edward Johnston, creator of the London Underground typeface, became a strong influence. In 1903 he gave up his architectural training to become a calligrapher, letter-cutter and monumental mason.Working from Ditchling in Sussex, where he lived with his wife, in 1910 Gill began direct carving of stone figures. These included Madonna and Child (1910), which English painter and art critic Roger Fry described in 1911 as a depiction of pathetic animalism, and Ecstasy (1911). Such semi-abstract sculptures showed Gill\'s appreciation of medieval ecclesiastical statuary, Egyptian, Greek and Indian sculpture, as well as the Post-Impressionism of Cézanne, van Gogh and Gauguin.His first public success was Mother and Child (1912). A self-described disciple of the Ceylonese philosopher and art historian Ananda Coomaraswamy, Gill was fascinated during this period by Indian temple sculpture. Along with his friend and collaborator Jacob Epstein, Gill planned the construction in the Sussex countryside of a colossal, hand-carved monument in imitation of the large-scale Jain structures at Gwalior Fort in Madhya Pradesh, to which he had been introduced by William Rothenstein.In 1914 Gill produced sculptures for the stations of the cross in Westminster Cathedral. In the same year he met the typographer Stanley Morison. After the war, together with Hilary Pepler and Desmond Chute, Gill founded The Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic at Ditchling. There his pupils included David Jones, who soon began a relationship with Gills daughter, Petra.Gill designed several war memorials after the First World War, including the Grade II* listed Trumpington War Memorial. Commissioned to produce a war memorial for the University of Leeds, Gill produced a frieze depicting Jesus driving the money-changers from the temple, showing contemporary Leeds merchants as the money-changers. Gill contended that the money men were a key cause of the war. This is at the Michael Sadler Building at the University.In 1924, Gill moved to Capel-y-ffin in Powys, Wales, where he established a new workshop, to be followed by Jones and other disciples. In 1928, he set up a printing press and lettering workshop in Speen, Buckinghamshire. He took on a number of apprentices, including David Kindersley, who in turn became a successful sculptor and engraver, and his nephew, John Skelton, noted as an important letterer and sculptor. Other apprentices included Laurie Cribb, Donald Potter and Walter Ritchie. Others in the household included Gills two sons-in-law, Petra\'s husband Denis Tegetmeier and Joanna\'s husband Rene Hague.In 1928–9, Gill carved three of eight relief sculptures on the theme of winds for Charles Holdens headquarters for the London Electric Railway (now Transport for London) at 55 Broadway, St James. He carved a statue of the Virgin and Child for the west door of the chapel at Marlborough College.In 1932, Gill produced a group of sculptures, Prospero and Ariel and others for the BBCs Broadcasting House in London. In 1934, Gill visited Jerusalem where he worked at the Palestine Archaeological Museum (now the Rockefeller Museum). He carved a stone bas-relief of the meeting of Asia and Africa above the front entrance together with ten stone reliefs illustrating different cultures and a gargoyle fountain in the inner courtyard. He also carved stone signage throughout the museum in English, Hebrew and Arabic.Gill was commissioned to produce a sequence of seven bas-relief panels for the façade of The People\'s Palace, now the Great Hall of Queen Mary University of London, which opened in 1936. In 1937, he designed the background of the first George VI definitive stamp series for the post office. In 1938 Gill produced The Creation of Adam, three bas-reliefs in stone for the Palace of Nations, the League of Nations building in Geneva, Switzerland. During this period he was made a Royal Designer for Industry, the highest British award for designers, by the Royal Society of Arts and became a founder-member of the Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry when it was established in 1938. In April 1937, Gill was elected an Associate member of the Royal Academy.Gills only complete work of architecture was St Peter the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Gorleston, built in 1938–39.