All texts copyright Richard Shillitoe
crucifixion
c. 1953
Oil on panel.
87¾ x 47in. (225 x 121cm.)
Provenance
NT.
Exhibited
London, RIBA, 1953, no. 4.
London, South London Art Gallery, 1954, no. 5.
Penzance, Newlyn Gallery, 1961, no. 38.
This large work is a design for one of the murals planned for Maze Hill Congregational Church. It is
visible in one of the architectural drawings executed for the project.
The gold and white circles on either side of the torso symbolise the sun and moon: the male and
female aspects of divinity.
Colquhoun annotated a study with details of the colour scheme:
Calvary cross of 12 squares (modified). Body: planetary colour attributions (Equinox
II); features: planetary colour attributions, divided according to Yi King. Pedestal: 3
alchemical elements, sephirotic colour attribution (Liber 777).