Visiting the Henry Moore Foundation is an inspiration and something we’d been promising to do for years. The day arrived and it was one of those brilliantly late summer sunny days. Henry Moore – An Inspiration
So impressive is this place that the visit will remain in our memories for many a day. The buildings, the café, the entry and above all the staff were brilliant.
Entering thorough the visitor centre the grounds are laid out in their vast acreage as an awe-inspiring sight. Dramatically dotted about are Moore’s sculptures that can even be touched (but no hard materials on the plinths of course – apologies for Clarence but he’s only soft wood!)
Strolling through the grounds one can view the sculptures from many different angles and distances. Of particular merit is the sculpture on top of one of the sheep fields – the ‘Prone Figure’ and it is awesome in its dramatic occupation of the sky’s empty space.
A visitor is also recommended to take in two other features of the Foundation. The first is the purposefully reconstructed ancient barn that holds commissioned tapestries of Moore’s drawings, produced by students at West Dean College.
The other feature is Hoglands. This is Moore and his wife Irina’s house for many years until their passing. It is as though they had left it yesterday. The collected items, essential household utilities, furniture even matches, and ash trays were almost as left by the couple. A sense of intimacy overwhelms the visitor, and a close companionship leaves a great impression.
https://www.famousfix.com/topic/henry-moore-and-irina-radetsky
You do not feel as though you are intruding, you feel as though you are an invited guest and most warmly received too.
Humble, modest, simple and cosily comfortable, it’s difficult to think that this is the house of the UK’s most famous and influential artist who became world renowned and still holds forth as one of the greatest important artists and indeed was a millionaire.
The fridge was imported from the USA and cost as much as the house.
As Johnson (Samuel not Boris) remarked, ‘worth seeing and worth going to see’.
As to the question – who invented the sculptural hole – Moore or Hepworth? – I couldn’t find the answer here.
However, as a general guideline to Moore, his life and works, Wikipedia is a good starting point and consequently was not to be repeated here.
Henry Moore – An Inspiration
And thank you Tate Gallery for this You Tube video :