Henry Moore
Reclining Figure, 1938
Bronze
2 3/8 x 2 3/8 x 5 1/8 in, 6 x 6 x 13 cm
Conceived in 1938 and cast in 1967 in an edition of 7
‘Reclining Figure’ from 1938 reflects Henry Moore’s deep engagement with the natural world and his pursuit of sculptural abstraction. Created on a small scale, it is an exemplar of the...
‘Reclining Figure’ from 1938 reflects Henry Moore’s deep engagement with the natural world and his pursuit of sculptural abstraction. Created on a small scale, it is an exemplar of the power of these intimate sized works and Moore’s ability to distil biomorphic organic forms into a refined abstract visual language.
Drawing inspiration from the erosion of rocks, weathered bones, and the undulating forms of the landscape, Moore reimagines nature not through direct representation, but through suggestion. Here, the body is simplified and the interplay between the solid and void, curves and recesses created a dynamic tension to the figure. Moore has applied a wonderful tactility to the surface of the sculpture through the changes in patina and smooth but uneven surface.
The terracotta is held in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada
Drawing inspiration from the erosion of rocks, weathered bones, and the undulating forms of the landscape, Moore reimagines nature not through direct representation, but through suggestion. Here, the body is simplified and the interplay between the solid and void, curves and recesses created a dynamic tension to the figure. Moore has applied a wonderful tactility to the surface of the sculpture through the changes in patina and smooth but uneven surface.
The terracotta is held in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada
Provenance
Weintraub
Gallery, New York
Private Collection, USA
Osborne Samuel, London
Exhibitions
Much Hadham, Perry Green, Henry Moore: War and Utility, 2001-02 (another cast exh.)
Literature
A. Bowness, Henry Moore: Complete Sculpture, 1980-1986, Addendum to Volume 1, 1921-48, Vol. VI, London, no. 186d, pp. 28-29, another cast illus.This sculpture is recorded with the Henry Moore Foundation under number 2023.31.