HENRY MOORE | Spindle Piece

Acquired from the artist in March 1979

Henry Moore Carvings and Bronzes 1961-70 (exhibition catalogue), Marlborough Gallery Inc. & Knoedler & Co. Inc., New York, 1970, no. 36, illustration of another cast n.p.
Robert Melville, Henry Moore, Sculpture and Drawings 1921-1969, New York, 1971, no. 74, illustration of another cast p. 367
Alan Bowness, ed., Henry Moore, Sculpture and Drawings, 1964-73, vol. 4, London, 1977, no. 592, illustrations of another cast p. 54 & pls. 108-09
Henry Moore at the Serpentine (exhibition catalogue), Serpentine Gallery & Kensington Gardens, London, 1978, illustration of the larger version pls. 18-19
Henry Moore Sculptures, Drawings, Graphics 1921-1981 (exhibition catalogue), Palacio de Velázquez, Palacio de Cristal & Parque de El Retiro, Madrid, 1981, illustration of the larger version p. 215
Franco Russoli, Henry Moore: Sculpture, New York, 1981, illustration of the larger version p. 453
William S. Lieberman, Henry Moore: 60 Years of His Art, New York, 1983, illustration of another cast p. 102

Variegated golden brown patina. There is some surface dust, especially where the sculpture meets its base. There are a few indications of verdigris in the central crevice. A few scattered scratches to the surface, many of which are inherent to the casting process. The work is in very good 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.
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Spindle Piece is a variation of an earlier sculpture entitled Three Points (1939-40), in which Moore explored the emotional and physical tension generated by nearly contiguous elements straining toward one another (see fig. 1). “Michelangelo used the same theme in his fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, of God creating Adam, in which the forefinger of God’s hand is just about to touch and give life to Adam. It is also like the points in the sparking plug of a car, where the spark has to jump across the gap between the points” (quoted in David Mitchinson, Henry Moore: Sculpture, London, 1981, p. 88).   Whereas the inwardly pointing conical spikes in Three Points create a sense of anticipation and anxiety, the present work conversely bursts with energy. “Here again the points are used to give action,” explained Moore. “Inwards in the case of the Three Points, but here to give action outwards” (ibid., p. 214).  

Moore was a public art enthusiast and took a keen interest in how and where his pieces were sited. All seven casts of his Large Spindle Piece (1974) are on public view today, one outside King’s Cross Station in London on loan from the Henry Moore Foundation and the remaining six on display in the United States, Japan and Saudi Arabia.