I have been a big fan of Henry Moore for at least 17 years. In 2008 I went to New York City Botanical Gardens to see his work Moore in America. When I learned that he lived in the small village, of Perry Green, north of London I knew I wanted to go there some day.
I went this summer!
Henry Moore
Two Piece Reclining Figure: Points, 1969
Henry Moore Studios and Gardens
Happy Sara resting and watching the people, looking at the art and clouds at the Henry Moore estate.
Henry Moore was one of the most famous British artists of the 20th century. His sculptures can be found all over the world.
Here is link to a cool interactive map.
In my last post I highlighted the buildings at the Henry Moore studios and gardens which include some of his watercolor paintings turned into tapestries.
Now I will highlight the sculptures. Growing up with a dad who made bronze sculptures I have a deep appreciation and admiration for them.
There are a lot, about 23, so sit back and enjoy.
Elwood Garden
Draped Reclining Mother and Baby
Relief #1
Draped Reclining Mother and Baby
Henry Moore was an modern artist that did a lot of abstract sculptures and many of them were figures, especially the reclining figure.
The first piece I found on the grounds is this mother and child. One of my favorite motifs and his too!
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I really like this view of her back. It is so honest.
Relief #1
This bronze was also in the Elmwood Garden and closer to the Henry Moore Archive. It is one that I have never seen. I found out the first relief was made for the Time/ Life building in London and the second for the Bouwcentrum in Rotterdam.
It had rained earlier in the day and so I got some beautiful details.
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In addition to really enjoying taking pictures of art I adore plants and taking pictures of plants.
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Close to Hoglands and the summer house
Family group
Working model for sundial
Family Group
After checking in at the Visitor's center I found Family Group, which was sculpted in 1948-1949 and cast in 1985. With the freshly fallen rain I got some close ups of the mother and father's arms and faces. They look like they are a bit sad with the rain on their face.
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Working model for sundial
At first I didn't realize that this was one of Henry Moore's pieces. According the booklet I got at the estate it indicates that;
Moore had the idea for this work when he was asked to make a sculpture for The Times newspaper headquarters in London. He wanted to make something that was not easily recognizable as a Henry Moore sculpture and decided on a sundial.
It worked, I didn't recognize it as a Henry Moore. I thought he put a sundial in the garden.
Let's walk a bit further to the sculpture lawn where there are 8 sculptures
Sculpture Lawn
Knife Edge Two Piece
Locking Piece
Hill Arches
Two Piece Reclining Figure: Cut
Two Piece Reclining Figure: Points
Double Oval
Three Piece Reclining Figure No. 2: Bridge Prop
Three Piece Reclining figure: Draped
Knife Edge Two Piece
This is the sculpture I know best. I have seen it for at least 20 years when I go to the National Gallery of Art in DC.
Here are some side views.
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Knife Edge Two Piece that the National Gallery of Art in DC.
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Locking Piece
Moore said the idea of Locking Piece originated from a sawn fragment of bone with a socket and joint he found in the garden.
Henry Moore got a lot of inspiration from natural found objects. Yes, I am so happy to be at Henry Moore's estate and among his sculptures!
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Two Piece Reclining Figure: Points
Moore experimented with cutting a lot of his pieces, which created space and tension.
Two Piece Reclining Figure: Cut
This piece looks like a snake to me. It is another that changes as you move around it. It was made toward the end of Moore's life in 1979-1981.
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Double Oval
This is another one that I didn't recognize and I really like.
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Three Piece Reclining Figure No. 2: Bridge Prop
It looks like different pieces with the direction of the sun and where I took the pictures.
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Three Piece Reclining figure: Draped
As I mentioned before Moore experimented with the figure and especially liked the reclining figure motif. Here the figure is draped. I really like the angle where we are looking at the figure's back.
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Some close up of the bronze.
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Hill Arches
This piece was made in 1973, the year I was born! It had the most patinaed color of the sculptures and really changed depending on where you stood.
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Here is a view of Locking Piece through Hill Arches
Infront of the Visitor Centre
Falling Warrior
This was made in 1956-1957. Moore served in both WWI and WWII.
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Infront of the Bourne Maquette Studio
King and Queen
One of my favorite Henry Moore sculptures!
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One thing I really, really liked about the estate is that you can touch the pieces. You can not do that in museums and so I held hands with both the king and queen.
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As I mentioned in my post Henry Moore at the Tate Britain
I think I am attracted to this sculpture because they are a parental figure couple and in a way remind me of my parents.
Here are pictures of King and Queen I've taken through the years at the Hirshhorn Gallery in DC.
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Between the Aisled Barn and the Yellow Brick Studio
Woman
The woman is located between the Aisled Barn and the Yellow Brick Studio. It was created in 1957-1958 this sculpture is on lone from The British Council. This woman has a very distorted body and super small head.
One thing I really like is that there are benches all over the estate to sit and look at the art!
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Meadow
There are 6 sculptures in the Meadow, let me show you those.
Large Totem Head
Upright Motive No. 8
Three Piece Sculpture: Vertebrae
Oval with Points
Mother and Child: Block Seat
The Arch
Large Totem Head
Upright Motive No. 8
According to the Henry Moore Studios and Garden handbook:
He (Moore) generated ideas for these sculptures by balancing forms on top of one another and by pressing into clay lines of objects such as stones, bones, bolts and tools.
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Three Piece Sculpture: Vertebrae
This is one of his more abstract pieces. It is really beautiful and had a way of drawing me into it.
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Oval with Points
Kitchen Garden
Again I had to take some pictures of the plants!
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Mother and Child: Block Seat
Here is another mother and child. A theme that he went back to again and again. This is very late in his life, 1983-1984. He died in in 1986.
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Again, the bench to sit and contemplate life or the sculpture in front of you.
This one is a lot like the Mother and Child at St. Paul's in London. It was also made in 1983.
The Arch
This one is a bit deceptive. It is really, really tall- 20 feet (610 cm). I was excited to stand under it.
Sheep Field
Large Reclining Figure
Sheep Piece
Large Reclining Figure
My pictures of this piece are from the back. On my way back to my Airbnb I got lost and ended up in Henry Moore's sheep field with a great view of the large reclining figure.
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The curves and lines are gorgeous!
This sculpture has a great story. The architect I.M. Pei asked Henry Moore to make a sculpture to put in front of a skyscraper he designed in Singapore (like he did for the National Gallery in DC). Henry had a small reclining figure that he enlarged. There were two made, one that went to Singapore and the one that went to the sheep field!
It is over 29 feet (9m) long and weighs over (8818 pounds) 4 tonnes.
Sheep Piece
The handbook said that,
When Moore sited this work in the field, he was delighted by the way the sheep congregated around it. It is tempting to read the forms as a ewe and lab, the ewe alert and attentive and the lamb nestled beneath her.
I got this shot through a gap in the trees that line the sheep field.
Wow, did you make it to the end? That was a lot of great art. What did you think?
Sources:
Henry Moore Studios and Garden handbook
Draped reclining mother and baby
Mother and child
The Arch