Mankind

sculpture by Gill

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June 30, 2026

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"Mankind" is a torso sculpture created in 1928 by the British artist Eric Gill. Carved from Hoptonwood stone, this piece helped popularize the material in the 1920s and 1930s. The human figure has historically been the primary subject in sculpture due to its profound emotional significance and diverse forms. While modern sculpture has seen a rise in nonfigurative art, the human form remains central, often depicted with themes of despair or satire rather than the idealized or naturalistic portrayals of earlier eras.12

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Eric Gill
…and his famous torso “Mankind” (1928) were cut in Hoptonwood stone, which he helped make fashionable in the 1920s and ’30s. Other major commissions included the relief “Prospero and Ariel” over the main entrance of Broadcasting House, London (1931), and the three bas-reliefs entitled “The Creation of Adam” (1935–38)…
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…and his famous torso “Mankind” (1928) were cut in Hoptonwood stone, which he helped make fashionable in the 1920s and ’30s. Other major commissions included the relief “Prospero and Ariel” over the main entrance of Broadcasting House, London (1931), and the three bas-reliefs entitled “The Creation of Adam” (1935–38)…
Read More