Henry Moore
A Closer Look
Henry Moore’s work is organic, meaning that it flows and has a lot of curvy lines. Look at the outline of this sculpture. See how the spaces between and around the sculpture are thoughtfully planned. These negative areas are as important as the sculpture itself. Try creating a portrait of several people in a medium of your choice. It doesn't have to look realistic. Use flowing forms to make it organic and remember to think about the negative spaces between your figures.
About the Sculpture
In the early 1950s the town of Harlow, England, was being built near where Henry Moore was born. The designers asked Moore to make a sculpture for the town, and in 1954 he completed Harlow Family Group. The semi-abstract figures are carved out of stone and originally stood in a park, then in front of the Harlow Civic Center. In the 1980s vandals defaced it and it had to be moved inside. In 2003 it again moved outside, in front of the new Town Hall in Harlow.
About the Artist
Henry Moore came from a working class family of eight children. He always wanted to be an artist and as a boy he carved wood and modeled clay. Moore put off going to art school to fight in World War I, but when he returned home he got a veteran’s grant to study art. He was influenced by Picasso, Brancusi and African sculpture. It took a long time for people to understand his work, but today he is considered a master.
Write About It
- Make a list of what you see.
- How did the artist use the elements and principles of design?
- What do you think the sculpture means? How does it make you feel?
- Select two sculptures to compare & contrast.
