Henry Spencer Moore

description

The most famous and significant English sculptor of the post-war period, one of the founders of modernist British sculpture. Moore significantly influenced the gradual transformation of British sculpture from provincial to avant-garde, which not only corresponded to European concepts of modern art, but also introduced its themes and means of plastic expression.

Moore became world-famous thanks to his sculptures designed for open space, which are installed in many large cities around the world. These works, depicting mainly semi-abstract human figures, impress you with the harmony of their forms and musicality of smooth, winding lines. They reveal the eternal themes of the beauty of nature and the attractiveness of the female body, the spiritual closeness of a man and a woman, the selfless love of a mother for her child – all that makes our world more beautiful.

The sculptor preferred to cut his works from a whole piece of wood or stone, and began to use plaster and bronze casting only in the late period of his career. In addition to sculpture, Moore is known as a wonderful draftsman. His most significant works were impressive images of London citizens hiding in subway stations during Nazi bombings.

Key ideas:

– Almost all of Henry Moore’s sculptures were designed to be installed on the street, but not in the city, since the geometry of skyscrapers in megacities threatens sculpture; they were made for open space, a garden or park. Creating his masterpieces, the artist immediately chose a suitable place and a specific landscape for them.

– Unusual reclining figures are the hallmark of the master. They are metaphors of one landscape or another, where the chest and knees are like hills or gentle mountains, typical of the area where the artist was born and raised.

– The main theme of the sculptor’s work, which interested him throughout his career, was the theme of mother and child. Impressed by Christian paintings depicting Mary and her baby, Moore was able to express the warmth and tranquility emanating from these sincere relationships and a strong emotional connection in his sculptures.

– Most of Moore’s sculptures have unusual voids, indentations, and through holes in a solid mass of stone or metal. These holes make the work open to the surrounding landscape and allow the forms to flow seamlessly and organically into each other, creating images similar to the creations of nature.

– During the war, Moore proved to be a talented draftsman. Due to frequent bombing, the artist had to take refuge in the London Underground, where the majority of the city’s population was located. Mothers with children and entire families, forced to spend time in a cramped and dark room underground, became the heroes of his drawings. They are distinguished by a deep psychologism of images and emotional presentation.

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1898

1917

1919

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1928

1932

1940

1950

1968

1986

The birth of the artist

Henry Spencer Moore was born into the large family of an employee of a coal mine. His Irish father was interested in music and literature, tried to give his sons a good education. In the early grades of the Castleford Grammar School, Henry was interested in sculpture and painting.

Enlisted in the Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles

Enlisted in the Prince of Wales’ Own Civil Service Rifles, where he was the youngest soldier. During the Battle of Cambrai, Moore suffered a gas attack and spent several months in a hospital. After his recovery, he did not return to the front line but served as an instructor on the homefront.

Was enrolled in the Leeds Art School

As a former soldier, he received a grant for education and enrolled in the Leeds Art School. During training, his classmate was Barbara Hepworth, in the future also an outstanding sculptor. Their friendship and professional rivalry continued for many years. Moore had access to the collection of Sir Michael Sadler. The contemporary works stored there had a great influence on the artistic style of the beginning sculptor.

Won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art in London

Won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art in London, which he attended together with Hepworth and other students from Yorkshire. At that time, Moore became interested in primitive art, studying it at the British Museum. In London, the sculptor got acquainted with the works of modern authors such as Brancusi and Epstein.

The sculptor created his first public work

The sculptor created his first public work, which is a bas-relief on the wall of one of the London buildings and is called “East Wind”. In the same year, Moore’s first solo exhibition was held at the Warren Gallery in London.

Moore became the director of the sculpture department at the Chelsea School of Art

After graduating from King’s College, Moore became the director of the sculpture department at the Chelsea School of Art. He joined the group of British sculptors and painters “Seven and Five” and often visited Paris, where he met outstanding artists of that time: P. Picasso, G. Braque, A. Giacometti and many others.

He created many graphic images of Londoners

With the outbreak of the war, Moore resigned as a teacher in Chelsea. He created many graphic images of Londoners who took refuge from the bombing in the subway. These drawings were highly estimated by critics for their emotional expressiveness and authenticity. After the artist’s house was destroyed, he and his wife moved to a small village of Perry Green in Hertfordshire, which became his home for the rest of his life.

Family Group

Created his first large-scale bronze work called Family Group. Moore began to receive more and more orders for his sculptures, which were installed in public places of various cities. Gradually, the size of the work increased, and the artist needed to hire several assistants to create large projects.

Began working in graphic techniques, such as lithography and engraving

Moved away from sculpture for a while and began working in graphic techniques, such as lithography and engraving. The artist depicted various exhibits of museums, such as elephant skulls and ancient figurines. Also known is his graphic series “Hands” in which he expressed various emotions in the images of human wrists.