Henry Moore 1898-1986
Sculpture in Landscape, 1951
Mixed media on paper
57.5 x 39.5 cms
22 10/16 x 15 8/16 ins
22 10/16 x 15 8/16 ins
566
Sold
This exceptional drawing relates to one of Moore's most important sculptures - Festival Figure (1951) - his famous commission for the Festival of Britain. In his book on Henry Moore...
This exceptional drawing relates to one of Moore's most important sculptures - Festival Figure (1951) - his famous commission for the Festival of Britain.
In his book on Henry Moore John Russell writes that this work was `Moore's most ambitious shot at making the spaces between the forms as important, and as various, as the forms themselves'. (John Russell, Henry Moore, Penguin, 1968)
According to the Henry Moore Foundation in this major drawing 'an interest in the internal spaces of the figure, that is such a key element of Festival Figure is clearly evident, and of course the figures in the drawing do have similarities with the Festival Figure of 1951 and associated maquettes from 1950. It does seem extremely likely that the sculpture would have been in Moore's mind: he often drew sculpture after it had been made and placed it in various landscape or architectural settings.'
In Sculpture in Landscape Moore's focus is on the figure in a setting. Moore concentrates on the figure building up rich layers of colour and also includes suggestions of the Houses of Parliament and the Festival of Britain site on the South Bank of the Thames.
This drawing is recorded in the Henry Moore Foundation Archive as HMF 2704.
In his book on Henry Moore John Russell writes that this work was `Moore's most ambitious shot at making the spaces between the forms as important, and as various, as the forms themselves'. (John Russell, Henry Moore, Penguin, 1968)
According to the Henry Moore Foundation in this major drawing 'an interest in the internal spaces of the figure, that is such a key element of Festival Figure is clearly evident, and of course the figures in the drawing do have similarities with the Festival Figure of 1951 and associated maquettes from 1950. It does seem extremely likely that the sculpture would have been in Moore's mind: he often drew sculpture after it had been made and placed it in various landscape or architectural settings.'
In Sculpture in Landscape Moore's focus is on the figure in a setting. Moore concentrates on the figure building up rich layers of colour and also includes suggestions of the Houses of Parliament and the Festival of Britain site on the South Bank of the Thames.
This drawing is recorded in the Henry Moore Foundation Archive as HMF 2704.
Provenance
Private collection, LondonExhibitions
Henry Moore: Figures in Space, Drawings, Institute of Contemporary Art, London, 1953 (cat. 103).The Challenge of Post-War Painting, James Hyman Gallery, London, 3 June - 4 September 2004, (cat. 1).
Fifty Years of British Landscape Painting, James Hyman Gallery, London, 4 August - 23 September 2005
Literature
(ed. David Sylvester), Henry Moore: Complete Sculpture, vol 2, 1949-54, vol 2, 1955, (relating to pl 44-53)(ed. Ann Garrould), Henry Moore: Complete Drawings 1950 -76 vol. 4, 2003, AG 51.7, illustrated p. 47.
Henry Moore: Figures in Space, Drawings, Institute of Contemporary Art, London, 1953, (cat 103).
The Challenge of Post-War Painting: New paths for modernist art in Britain 1950 - 1965, James Hyman Fine Art, London. 2004, (cat. 1), illustrated p. 23.
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