Henry Moore

Acquired from the artist circa 1970

Alan Bowness, ed., Henry Moore, Sculpture and Drawings, London, 1977, no. 605, illustrations of another cast p. 57 and pls. 134-35

Excellent condition. The mottled patina of golden-brown, dark brown and green is in excellent condition, with no scratches, abrasions or corrosion on the surface. There are few areas on the top with dark patches that are original casting marks from the foundry. There are sculpting tooling marks all around which are characteristic of the artist's sculpture.
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Working Model for Two Piece Reclining Figure: Points employs the elements of sculptural separation and the creation of negative space. The artist began to create sculptures consisting of more than one piece in the 1930s when, according to his own account, he "realised what an advantage a separate two-piece composition could have in relating figures to landscape. Knees and breasts are mountains. Once these two parts become separated you don't expect it to be a naturalistic figure; therefore you can more justifiably make it like a landscape or a rock. If it is a single figure you can guess what it's going to be like. If it is in two pieces, there's a bigger surprise, you have more unexpected views; therefore the special advantage over painting - of having the possibility of many different views - is more fully exploited" (quoted in C. Lake, Atlantic Monthly, vol. 209, no. 1, Boston, January 1962, p. 44).

 

The present work is number 6 in an edition of 10 bronzes, plus one artist's proof.   Another cast of this work is in the collection of the Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo.