Contents
Henry Moore
Creating monumental sculptures of reclining figures and mothers with children.
Shelter Drawings · Family Group
- Born
- 30 July 1898
- Birthplace
- Castleford, England
- Died
- 31 August 1986
More people
Henry Moore
British sculptor who made the human body both an abstract landscape and a familiar presence in public space.
Early life
Mining family
Grew up in a Yorkshire mining family, encouraged by a teacher to pursue sculpture.
War and study
Served in the First World War before studying art in Leeds and London.
Career
- 1920s–1930s
Carving and teaching
Developed his sculpture while teaching and participating in modernist artistic circles.
- 1940s
Wartime recognition
Made drawings of Londoners sheltering during the Blitz and gained international attention.
- 1950s–1980s
Public commissions
Produced large sculptures for civic, institutional and outdoor settings around the world.
Selected work
Shelter Drawings
Recorded civilians taking refuge in London Underground stations.
Family Group
A major bronze commission bringing family relationships into public sculpture.
Reclining Figure: Festival
A pierced reclining form commissioned for the Festival of Britain.
Beyond work
Home and landscape
Lived and worked at Perry Green in Hertfordshire with his wife Irina.
Foundation
Established the Henry Moore Foundation to support sculpture and its study.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Allan warren. CC BY 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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