Ink on linen 81 x 268cm. (31 7/8 x 105 1/2in.) Born an illegitimate child in Victorian London, Gill spent the first nine years of her life in relative seclusion with her mother, aunt and grandfather, until she was sent to Dr Bernardo s orphanage. Aged fourteen, she was sent to Canada where she worked as a domestic servant until she returned to London four years later, to live with another aunt. It was at this time she met her cousin and future husband Tom Gill, whom she married in 1907. Despite their marriage being a troubled one, it produced four children in eight years, although the final child, Gill s only daughter, was stillborn during a difficult birth which resulted in a subsequently lengthy illness that caused Gill to lose her left eye. Shortly after her recovery in 1920, was when Gill first claimed to have been possessed by Myrninterest - (my inner rest or her spirit guide). This possession would be maintained throughout the rest of Gill s life and was the cause of frantic creative outbursts. Despite working in a wide variety of media, it is her ink drawings for which Gill is best known. Able to create multiple drawings in one sitting, her works are characterised by complex geometric patterns and repeatedly refer to female subjects, specifically a young girl in an intricate dress, as in the present lot. It is thought this figure may refer to Gill s lost daughter. Despite exhibiting throughout her career, Gill never sold her works, fearing that she would anger Myrninterest , with whose name she often signed many of her works. After the death of her first son, Bob, in 1958, Gill began to drink heavily and stopped drawing. Following her death in 1961, thousands of drawings were discovered in her home and international exhibitions have been held in London, Los Angeles, Paris and Frankfurt. All lots in this sale have been imported from outside the EU and are under Temporary Admission, therefore the buyer must pay the import VAT at the rate of 5% on the Hammer Price. If your intention is to re-export a lot outside the EU, you must notify us upon receipt of your invoice to allow us to prepare the necessary paperwork for your shippers. IMPORTANT: This lot is sold subject to Artists Resale Rights, details of which can be found in our Terms and Conditions.