The Henry Moore Foundation supports urgent appeal to save Hepworth masterpiece for the nation
The Henry Moore Foundation is proud to support the campaign to save Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red (1943) by Barbara Hepworth – one of her most significant early stringed sculptures – for the nation.
The Henry Moore Foundation has contributed £50,000 through our grants programme in recognition of the work’s extraordinary significance. The Campaign led by the award-winning The Hepworth Wakefield in partnership with the national charity Art Fund, the appeal seeks to acquire this rare and important work for permanent public display in Wakefield, Hepworth’s birthplace.
“The Henry Moore Foundation is proud to support the campaign to secure Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red for the nation and for The Hepworth Wakefield’s permanent collection, through our Henry Moore Grants programme.
“This remarkable work represents a significant moment in Barbara Hepworth’s artistic development, and its acquisition will ensure public access to a major work from the history of British sculpture.
“Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth were central to the evolution of international modernism. They were not only contemporaries but also friends, and their shared roots in Yorkshire make this campaign especially meaningful.
“Supporting public collections and increasing access to sculpture lie at the heart of the Foundation’s charitable mission, and this grant exemplifies our commitment to enabling that vision.”
Godfrey Worsdale OBE, Director of the Henry Moore Foundation
An extremely rare and personal work, Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red is one of only a handful of wooden carvings made by Hepworth during the 1940s and among the first to incorporate stringing. Created during the Second World War while living with her young family in St Ives, the sculpture marks a breakthrough in Hepworth’s practice – both technically and creatively. It is also the only example of her work to feature multi-coloured strings, stretched against a delicate pale blue interior inspired by the Cornish landscape.
More than 88% of the £3.8 million required to acquire the sculpture has already been raised, thanks to a wave of public generosity and major funding. Over 2,000 individuals have donated gifts ranging from £3 to six-figure sums, including major grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and The Headley Trust.
As a charity committed to advancing the public’s understanding and enjoyment of sculpture, we recognise the importance of keeping this work in the UK. Hepworth and Moore helped define the course of modern sculpture in the 20th century, and their Yorkshire roots remain central to both artists’ legacies. Securing this sculpture for The Hepworth Wakefield’s collection would be transformative – allowing the museum to tell a more complete story of Hepworth’s life and work in the city of her birth.
However, time is running out. If the final £440,000 is not raised in the coming weeks, the sculpture may be lost to an overseas buyer. We urge those who share our belief in the power of sculpture to contribute what they can. Every donation brings the campaign one step closer to its goal.
To make a donation, please visit artfund.org/hepworth
Main image: Barbara Hepworth, Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red 1943. Photo: Betty Saunders.