The Art and Life of Henry Moore

Explore four major chronological chapters of Henry Moore’s Art and Life between 1922 and 1986.

This permanent exhibition celebrates the reopening of the Sheep Field Barn, newly transformed through a project where every decision was guided by a deep consideration of Henry Moore’s vision.

The Art and Life of Henry Moore presents over 80 maquettes and sculptures made between 1922 and 1986, alongside facsimiles of photographs and archival materials, all from our collections.

Across four chronological chapters, the exhibition introduces the three key themes in Moore’s work – mother and child, reclining figure, and internal/external forms – and traces the artist’s journey from student to internationally recognised artist, placing his work within its wider cultural and social context.

Chapter 1: Exploring Ideas and Materials 1922-39

Between 1922 and 1939, Moore developed the foundations of his sculptural practice, moving from student to professional artist. Rejecting classical traditions, he drew inspiration from sculpture across Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. He embraced direct carving in stone and wood, respecting the integrity of materials, while also beginning to cast small works in metal.

During this period, he focused on reclining and standing figures and began exploring the mother and child theme. Influenced by organic forms, landscape, and friendships with European modernists engaged in abstraction, Constructivism, and Surrealism, his work anticipated later investigations of mass, space, and void.

After marrying Irina Radetsky in 1929, Moore settled in Hampstead among artists and writers including Herbert Read, Barbara Hepworth, and Naum Gabo. He taught at the Royal College of Art and later headed Sculpture at Chelsea School of Art. Early solo exhibitions, commissions, and the first monograph on his work marked his growing recognition within British and international modernism.

Chapter 2: Civic Artist 1940-59

In 1940, after the bombing of London, the Moores moved to Hoglands in Perry Green Hertfordshire, which became both a family home and a centre of artistic production. Moore expanded the property to include studios for drawing, printmaking, and sculpture; their daughter Mary was born in 1946.

Appointed an official War Artist in 1941, Moore produced powerful drawings of civilians sheltering during the Blitz. In the 1940s he became an advocate for the arts, serving as a trustee of the Tate Gallery and as a member of the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts (later the Arts Council).

In postwar Britain, public art was central to social renewal. Moore’s sculptures appeared widely in public spaces, while internationally they supported the British Council’s cultural diplomacy. A 1946 retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and representation at the first postwar Venice Biennale were followed by major commissions, including the Festival of Britain, the New Towns of Harlow and Stevenage, and UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

Chapter 3: Monumental Presence 1960-76

From 1960 to 1976, Moore consolidated his commitment to large-scale sculpture. He deepened his exploration of divided figures and internal/external forms, emphasising spatial tension between elements. Production at Perry Green became increasingly collaborative, with assistants enlarging maquettes into full-scale models, often cast in bronze at the Noack Foundry in Berlin.

This process enabled ambitious international commissions, including Three Way Piece No. 2: Archer (1964-65) for Toronto City Hall and Reclining Figure (1963-65) for Lincoln Center in New York. Through exhibitions and commissions across Europe, North America, and increasingly Asia and the Middle East, his work achieved global prominence.

A major Tate retrospective in 1968 and a landmark 1972 exhibition at the Forte di Belvedere, Florence, confirmed his international stature. Moore also donated a substantial body of work to the Art Gallery of Ontario. During the Cold War, his participation in British Council touring exhibitions positioned his sculpture as a symbol of international cultural exchange.

Chapter 4: Enduring Forms 1977-86

Between 1977 and 1986, Moore consolidated his legacy while refining recurring themes: the reclining figure, mother and child, and internal/external forms. Working with his team at Perry Green, he continued producing enlargements for major commissions worldwide. He also resumed carving in stone with artisans at the Henraux Quarries in Querceta, Italy.

Moore’s final bronzes of the 1980s were his largest, including Large Reclining Figure (1984) and Large Figure in Shelter (1986). As his health declined, he focused increasingly on drawing.

In 1977, Moore and his family established the Henry Moore Foundation, dedicated to the promotion and study of sculpture. A major gift of works formed its core collection. Moore remained involved until his death at Perry Green in August 1986. Today, the Foundation and the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds continue to preserve, research, and promote his work internationally.