HENRY MOORE A Pioneer of Modern Sculpture
Son of a coal miner and the seventh of eight children, Henry Moore’s talents as a visual artist emerged early on in his education; in primary and secondary school, teachers encouraged him to continue his creative pursuits. At eighteen, he volunteered to serve England in World War I, where he suffered from a gas attack in the woods of Bourlon. Though he was initially enthusiastic to volunteer, he later wrote that "a year or two after [the war] the sight of a khaki uniform began to mean everything in life that was wrong and wasteful and anti-life. And I still have that feeling."
After the armistice, he resumed his artistic pursuits when he enrolled at Leeds School of Art. There he met fellow influential sculptor Barabar Hepworth and studied the works of Cezanne, Gauguin, and a variety of non western sculpture that further influenced his expressive, abstractive style. By 1921 he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London, where his sculpture practice pushed against ‘the Greek spectacles from the eyes of the modern sculptor.’ Particularly, his interest in Oceanic, African, and Pre-Columbian figuration helped propel his work past the excessive rigidity of neoclassical ideals in the academic tradition.
He was [particularly fascinated by the Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican figure of the “chacmool,” possibly symbolizing slain warriors carrying offerings to the gods. He noted that ‘its stillness and alertness, a sense of readiness, and the whole presence of it, and the legs coming down like columns’
Moore's fascination with the human figure is evident in his drawings, lithography, and sculptures. With each medium, he finds new ways to explore the material and visual aspects of his subjects. He often drew inspiration from natural forms such as bones, stones, and shells. His sculptures and figurations were as much inspired by their material renderings as they were by the psychology of a figure. Languorous lines and unexpected negative space exude a sense of attunement to changing attitudes towards the solidity of the monolithic fully embodied form. Moore's exploration of space and volume challenged traditional notions of sculpture and paved the way for future generations of artists.
Created in 1977, "Reclining Figure: Stiff Leg," captures the essence of Moore's mature style. The recumbent female figure’s elongated limbs and a graceful posture contrast with the rigidity of her pose. The fluid curves of her body creating a sense of tension, balance, and even suspense. Moore's respect for all aspects of form and material is evident in every aspect of the sculpture, from the subtle contours of the figure's patinated form to the gentle mimicry of woodgrain at the base. "Reclining Figure: Stiff Leg" embodies Moore's fascination with the human form and his ability to imbue natural materials with the tensions and inclinations of the human experience.
NOTES: I’d say created in 1977, "Reclining Figure: Stiff Leg," lot xyz in Showplace’s May 5 Important Fine Art & Design auction, but make grammatically correct
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- Amos Balaish