Hands Gallery

'The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads', c1840. Creator: George Presbury

'The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads', c1840. Biblical scene, from Genesis 48: 16: 'The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.' Jacob blesses his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh. When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, he was displeased and took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's. Engraving.

© The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Linked hands, 1952. Creator: Shirley Markham

Linked hands, 1952. Illustration to a poem by Walter Raleigh (1914), "Wishes of an Elderly Man": 'I wish I loved the Human Race; I wish I loved its silly face; I wish I liked the way it walks; I wish I liked the way it talks; And when I'm introduced to one; I wish I thought "What Jolly Fun!"' Shirley Markham (1931-1999) studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Central School of Art in London from 1950-1952. The writer, artist, poet, and illustrator Mervyn Peake (1911-1968) was one of her tutors, and her style of drawing was also influenced by other British illustrators such as Edward Ardizzone, Quentin Blake and Edward Bawden. Markham spent time in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy, and also visited Rome, sketching classical buildings. After graduating from Central, she worked as a graphic designer, producing book illustrations, cartoons for comics, menus and programmes. She gave up her promising career however when she got married in 1957. Middle-class women at that time were expected to devote their energies to bringing up children and running the home, and despite her obvious talent, she lacked the confidence to return to illustration. Her portfolio remained in the family attic for many years, but now her work is published here for the first time.

© Shirley Markham Collection / Heritage-Images

Cement materials, 1963. Artist: Michael Walters

Cement materials, 1963. Lime and silica make up about 85% of the mass of cement and requires around 80 different operations requiring a large amount of heat and energy. Probably the best known cement in the UK is Portland cement, which was invented by a British stonemason in 1824, and was named for its resemblance to a type of limestone found in Dorset's Isle of Portland. As the lime content is caustic, it would be advisable not to hold it in your hands for too long as shown in the photograph.

© Worldwide Photography / Heritage-Images