From:Williamson Art Gallery and Museum

Name/TitleSt. Luke

About this objectRaymond Hawthorn (1917-1997) was a British wood engraver and printmaker. Born in Dorset in 1917, he studied art at the Coventry School of Art from 1935-9 and Hornsey School of Art from 1939-40. He was local to the Wirral, being a member of the Wirral Society of Arts and a teacher at the Laird School of Art. Throughout his career, he created collections of engravings to be used as illustrations in books, for example, Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, trans. Richard Aldington, 1962), The Life of Alexander the Great (trans. Aubrey de Sélincourt, 1970) and, The Rise and Fall of Athens (Ian Scott-Kilvert, 1967). His artistic process involved engraving woodblocks for prints as well as watercolour paintings. His work is complex, detailed and uses a monochrome palette. This design comes from a collection made for a Pelican Edition of Commentaries on the New Testament published in the late 20th century.

This woodblock depicts the events of the Gospel of St. Luke, which emphasises the fact that Jesus is a saviour of the people and focuses on his mercy for sinners, outcasts and the poor, as well as his Jewish origins. The gallery holds a woodblock of this design in its collection.

MakerHawthorn, Raymond (1917-1997)

Maker Roleengraver

Period20th century

Medium and Materialswatercolour on paper

Style and Iconographyreligious

Inscription and Marks"outcast, woman, poor, penitent, penitent, blind, samaritan, sick". "Illustration to "St Luke" (G.B. Caird) Pelican Edition."
"Centre: Page 35 - Because Luke believed that Jesus was the servant of a divine purpose...he constantly portrays him as acting under the authority of a divine necessary." & Page 36 - "we are shown Jesus on his kneew, putting himself under the authority of his Father's Will." as the new Exodus, as a necessity imposed on Jesus by the divine plan of redemption, as the ultimate vocation of the Servant of the Lord." & Page 77 - "...his mission was ultimately to all mankind." (Cross over Jewish candlestick). Sides: "women are mentioned here with tenderness and special interest." (H.A. Guy - "The Study of the Gospels") Below: "Page 37 (Caird's "St. Luke" - Pelican) "... the penitent, the outcast..." etc.

Techniquewatercolour

Measurementswatercolour height: 9cm
watercolour width: 11cm
mount height: 24cm
mount width 17cm.

Subject and Association KeywordsChristianity

Subject and Association Keywordsoutcast

Subject and Association Keywordsst. Luke

Subject and Association KeywordsCross

Credit LinePresented by Mark R. Hammer, 2026

Object Typewatercolour

Object numberBIKGM.9378

Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved