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Exhibition

Henry Moore Maquettes

Study Gallery

Henry Moore Institute, Leeds

Free Entry

Henry Moore in his 70s, smiling as he works on a small plaster model. Many more small sculptures can be seen on a shelf behind him.

About the exhibition

To celebrate the Henry Moore Foundation’s 50th anniversary, Henry Moore Institute will present fifty small sculptures by Henry Moore (1896-1986), offering a rare opportunity to see such a large group of his small-scale works.

Moore’s maquettes (as he referred to them) offer an intimate insight into his sculptural imagination, revealing how he explored form through the bones, stones, shells and driftwood that filled his studio. Maquettes were Moore’s preferred method to develop ideas for sculpture and often became the initial study for the monumental bronzes he is best known for.

These fifty works will chart Moore’s career from his beginnings as a young avant-garde artist challenging the academic tradition of naturalistic sculpture to examples of his most famous works inspired by organic forms. Moore’s three favourite subjects – the reclining figure, the mother and child and the internal/external form – will feature prominently in the display, which will also include examples of more unusual themes such as animal forms and architectural studies.

Access information

Step-free access

Our accessible entrance is on Cookridge Street, with a lift (doors 100cm wide) bringing you onto the ground floor of the building. There…

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Braille & large print

Braille and large print versions of descriptive text about our exhibitions are available at the welcome desk.

Audio guide

We produce audio guides with descriptions of the artworks in our exhibitions. Due to some exhibitions having many artworks, we can’t guarantee that…

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Induction loops

There are induction loops at the welcome desk on the ground floor, library reception and in the seminar room. There is a portable…

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Seating

Seating is always available in our shop and welcome area. You can also pick up a portable seat here to take with you…

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Quiet space

There is a quiet space available in a room off from The Studio on the second floor of the building. Please ask a…

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Quiet times to visit

If you’d prefer a quieter, more relaxed visit, then we recommend visiting on a Tuesday between 10:00 and 12:00. Occasionally we have school…

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Toilets

Outside the seminar room on the basement level we have three gender-neutral superloos (self-contained cubicles with a toilet and sink). Additionally, there is…

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Guide dogs

Guide dogs, hearing dogs and other badged assistance dogs are welcome in our galleries and at our events. There is a small grassy…

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If you would like to talk to us about any access concerns before your visit, you can email us at institute@henry-moore.org, or call us on 01132 467 467.

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