Book Description

"...suddenly the most commonplace objects came to have for me such significance that they no longer existed as just objects, but as shape and form in space."--Henry Moore. One of the world's greatest sculptors and a renowned photographer--close friends for thirty years--combine forces to provide insight into what makes a great creative artist. Part personal history and part stunning presentation of Moore's work and inspirations, striking photographs show his major sculptures and collected art, as well as the landscape and natural forms that indelibly influenced him. Compare Moore's own sculpted masks with the African and Mexican tribal pieces he so admires, or his figures--filled with energy--with Hedgecoe's nude studies. Close-ups focus in on small, fine details. Plus: a treasured glimpse of Moore in his workshop.208 pages (16 in color), 230 b/w illus., 8 1/8 x 11 3/8.
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Reviews (1)

Beauty, Vitality, Intelligence, Inspiration
Henry Moore is a wise man and it is nice to know that his words do justice to his talent as a sculptor. Musings is too light a term to use for the warm, down-to-earth essays that Moore provides us as he shares his thoughts and experiences with life, art, and aesthetics. With the words are page after page of photos of Moore, his work, along with images of things that have been his inspirations. This is a book about art appreciation, but grounded in the practicality of a working, master artist who is humble and thoughtful. It is hard to imagine how any sculptor who hopes to create works of lasting greatness could not profit and indeed be inspired by knowing this book. But Moore's basic, fundamental philosophies about art and life make this a book of vital inspiration for just about anyone who likes to think of, and operate in the world, along artistic terms. It is a warm, friendly unimposing book grounded with the weight of deep truth and careful observation. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Even when a famous artist's critical reputation has fallen on bad times, it's rare that the negative side of the legend finds its way into an elegantly designed and copiously illustrated monograph like Henry Moore: Sculpting the 20th Century. Yet those who deride the "civic trophy" aspect of Moore's ubiquitous bronze figures may reconsider their verdict in light of the perceptive arguments presented here by eight art historians. The scrutiny of Moore begins with the question of known and possible sources for the early blocky seated figures of the '20s, inspired by his fascination with African, Oceanic, and pre-Columbian sculptures. After investigating Moore's experiments with surrealism in the '30s, the text discusses the poignant drawings of people huddled in Underground stations during World War II that brought his work to the attention of a wider public.

The criticisms of Moore's work began when he shifted from the "truth to materials" embodied in his stone, wood, and cast-concrete figures to working in bronze and marble. Beginning in the early '60s, a younger generation of artists questioned the validity of his metaphors and his team of assistants. Critics singled out his repetitive forms and his failure to create site-specific work. ("I think you should make something that is right anywhere," Moore responded.) Yet the inherent warmth and tactile quality of Moore's often curiously androgynous figures has proved irresistible to many. This book is the catalog for an exhibition organized by the Dallas Museum of Art. --Cathy Curtis ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Outstanding!
This book radiates with the beauty of Henry Moore, and helps us to recognize those more recent sculptors such as Donald Wright, who have perhaps surpassed the master.

Provides Moore enthusiasts with a body of works
Moore is one of the most beloved sculptors of the 20th century, yet his work has fallen out of favor with the modern critics: this seeks to reassess Moore's crucial contribution to art of the last century, examining his early experiments with primitivism and his later probe into modernist pieces. The focus on his early works in particular provides Moore enthusiasts with a body of works and approaches not seen in many other considerations of his works. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1972, when the packing and crating for a major exhibition made it impossible for him to work in his sculpture studios, Henry Moore retreated to a small studio that looks out on a sheep meadow. Over the course of several months, as sheep were suckled and sheared, Moore produced this delightful flock of sketches and drawings. Sheep are as much a commonplace of the English countryside as hedgerows, but Moore looked at them afresh. Here are ewes nurturing their lambs, lambs playing in the meadow, and the swollen stateliness of sheep with full coats of wool. Many of the sketches evoke themes that are important in all Moore's work. The depiction of a ewe and lamb, for instance, suggests the mother-and-child theme often evoked in Moore's sculpture by a large form sheltering a smaller one. Henry Moore presented the sketchbook to his daughter, Mary. In this facsimile edition, first created under Moore's personal supervision, Mary's little lambs will charm anyone who sees these tender, vigorous drawings. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is his actual sketchbook of his very own sheep.
This book is one of the most helpful sources to understanding and looking at Henry Moore's world, work and learning his regard for the objects of reality he transformed into his sculptures. It is truly amazing and it is the actual sketchbook of his very own sheep. It is a wonderful book. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a celebration of The Henry Moore Foundation's collection-the most important and comprehensive single group of Moore's drawings, graphics, and sculpture. More than 300 of Moore's acclaimed works are reproduced in full color, and extensive captions are provided by distinguished sculptors, art critics, and art historians, many of whom knew and worked with Moore. Their fresh insights and personal anecdotes provide a detailed and compelling analysis of Moore's artistry. David Mitchinson's introductory essay traces the formation of The Henry Moore Foundation's collection, a fascinating story that has never been told before. He explains Moore's somewhat haphazard way of working, the confused ownership between the Foundation and its trading company, the strengths and weaknesses of the Collection itself, and the evolution of the Foundation's property at Perry Green in Hertfordshire. With a foreword by Sir Alan Bowness, Celebrating Moore will be a welcome addition to the study and appreciation of Henry Moore for years to come. From the Foreword:"Henry Moore talked well and liked talking about sculpture, but he rarely gave any verbal explanation of his own works. That was for others to do: He was the man who had made the piece and put it out in the world. This is the form that the catalogue takes-twenty-five sculptors, art historians, critics, curators, and film makers write about sculptures and drawings that particularly interest them." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Spectacular creations that enliven the imagination.
This beautifully presented hardback book, contains refined images of sculptures in substancial materials that will last a life. I suggest everyone should purchase this book as a tribute to Henry's life and the skill he displayed. ... Read more

Book Description

100 b/w photographs, 80 line illustrations Henry Moore's writings constitute a vivid and comprehensive record of his life and work, of the influences that shaped his vision, and of his reactions to the work of other artists, periods, and cultures. Spanning some seventy years, Moore's writings and conversations are much more than documentary records of his life and times: they have considerable literary merit in their own right. This fascinating collection of Moore's written and spoken words is the most comprehensive yet compiled, and contains much previously unpublished material. It includes over 150 illustrations: photographs of the sculptures, drawings and prints discussed in the text, illustrations of works by other artists, and photographs of the sculptor and his environment at various stages of his life. Henry Moore: Writings and Conversations completes and complements the catalogues of his sculpture, drawings, and prints. It will be indispensable for scholars and engrossing reading for Moore enthusiasts worldwide. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A must read for any Moore enthusiast
Editor Alan Wilkinson was a close friend of Henry Moore, and it shows in the care he put into editing this book. Other than the introduction, entitled "Perfect Symmetry is Death", Wilkinson allowed Moore to speak for himself by drawing from the man's own words, through interviews, articles, letters, and even scribblings in his notebooks.

The chapters are arranged under the following headings: "Ch. 1: Life and Influences", "Ch. 2: Friends and Colleagues", "Ch. 3: Art and Artists", "Ch. 4: On Sculpture", and "Ch. 5: Works by Henry Moore". Bibliographical sources, list of Moore's most well known work, and a general keyword index can be found in the back.

Because interviews Moore gave in 1973 might refer to events from his childhood, Wilkinson took care to put as much of the artist's words into context by surrounding it with other relevant quotations. For example, on page 35, the passage that begins with "In Castleford, where I was born, there are what called sand holes. They're caves where the sand has been excavated" (1973) is followed by "What is a cave? A cave is a shape. It's not the lump of mountain over it" (1962).

With a foreword by Alan Bowness. Overall, a very compelling read.

Don't pass by!
The best book available for all Moore fans and those who want to be... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A beautifully designed book-a true gem
John Hedgeoce's amazing eye has captured the essence of Henry Moore's work. It is so difficult to reduce the size and shape of such monumental work to paper but for those of us who do not own one we can share them on a daily basis by way of this superb work. ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from New Criterion, published by Foundation for Cultural Review on December 1, 2002. The length of the article is 4083 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The writings of Henry Moore.('Henry Moore: Writings and Conversations')(Book Review)
Author: Eric Gibson
Publication: New Criterion (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2002
Publisher: Foundation for Cultural Review
Volume: 21Issue: 4Page: 41(6)

Article Type: Book Review

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