Barbara Hepworth

Alex Reid & Lefevre, London (acquired directly from the artist)
Wilfrid A. Evill September (acquired from the above in 1954)
Honor Frost (bequeathed from the above in 1963; sale: Sotheby’s, London, The Evill/Frost Collection, 15th June 2011, lot 6)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

New York, Durlacher Brothers, Barbara Hepworth, October 1949, no. 17
London, Alex Reid & Lefevre, New Sculpture and Drawings by Barbara Hepworth, 1950, no. 48
London, The Whitechapel Gallery, Barbara Hepworth: Retrospective Exhibition 1927-1954, 1954, no. 127
London, The Home of Wilfrid A. Evill, Contemporary Art Society, Pictures, Drawings, Watercolours and Sculpture, 1961, no. 1
Brighton, Brighton Art Gallery, The Wilfrid Evill Memorial Exhibition, 1965, no. 52

Oil and pencil on prepared board; the board is stable. There do no appear to be any signs of retouching under UV light. There are two broken scratches and a few surface nicks with some associated paint loss around the edges of the upper left corner. There are some further intermittent scuffs to all four extreme edges. This work appears to be in good overall condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Smith-Petersen Pin is from a series of drawings which Barbara Hepworth produced in 1948-49 depicting operating surgeons. Following the hospitalisation of their young daughter Sarah for osteomyelitis in 1944, Hepworth and her husband Ben Nicholson struck up a friendship with her surgeon Norman Capener. It was Capener who first suggested Hepworth observe some of their procedures at the hospital. While initially horrified by the idea, she was persuaded – and subsequently struck by the atmosphere of calm and concentration she experienced in the operating theatre. She related her own work as a sculptor to that of the surgeons: specifically in the rhythm and precision with which they worked.    

Hepworth’s hospital drawings must be viewed against the backdrop of Britain’s pioneering National Health System (NHS) which was launched in 1948. A ground-breaking initiative, the NHS spoke of hopes for a fairer, more inclusive society in post-war Britain, and was whole-heartedly supported by Hepworth. Her series of drawings constituted her own personal investigation into the medical possibilities in Britain and demonstrate her egalitarian values, where a team works together towards a common cause.

Smith-Petersen Pin is a wonderful example of a period of work little-known in comparison to the abstract sculptures for which Hepworth is most recognised. Not only does it reveal her skills as a draftsman, but it also exposes an individual both compassionate and socially-conscious. In 2013, an exhibition of ‘The Hospital Drawings’ was held at The Hepworth Wakefield before touring to Pallant House Gallery. There, people were struck by the drama and passion of this series, which finds new resonance in the current climate of NHS interrogation. The present work is an outstanding example from a series which occupies an essential and extremely personal place in the artist’s œuvre.

Smith-Petersen Pin formed part of the Evill/Frost Collection which was sold at Sotheby’s, London, in 2011. Wilfrid Evill was a collector with a remarkable passion for and understanding of Contemporary art during the inter-war period. His patronage of British artists at this time ensured the careers of some of our most celebrated artists today, including Barbara Hepworth. Following his death in 1963, his ward Honor Frost masterfully managed his collection to which access was seldom granted. The collection was defined by works of supreme excellence and rarity, reflecting their collector’s eye for quality; the present work is one such example.