Henry Moore

2 Pages 572 Words

Henry Moore Essay

Henry Moore’s art career was at the base of a period of Modernism- avant-garde art produced by those who challenged the tradition, simply stated, within this period of art: the new path will be found. His main focus encompassed the realm of the human figure. Two related themes, which he said were his constant concern, mother and child and reclining woman. The human form he deals with is deformed, abstracted, and manipulated repeatedly and often beyond recognition. Representative figures with twisted proportions are a topic that develops as he does.
Forms are round and generous, signifying organic qualities of skin, fruits, and earth. One example of his work is “Working Model for Upright Internal/External Form” completed in 1951 as cast bronze, after being transferred from carved wood using Plaster of Paris, so ultimately it went through three stages before being finalized in polished bronze. It was conceived first as a drawing “Ideas for Internal/External Forms” in 1949. A figure held within an outer form that also has human or organic qualities. There are many meanings attached to the theme of an external form, containing, perhaps suspending an inner form. This subtlety indicated human is like the dweller within the body for which the body shelters. There is little to suggest human form but it is apparent the human being is a prevalent theme throughout his work at this time. Possibly a mother and child, womb and egg embryo as well as emotional issues are considered. It is seemingly parallels and pairs that are considered including: outside/inside, mother/child, body/soul, world/human kind.
Within the idea of the human figure, he explored feelings and emotions that exist between our beings. Moore’s drive is brilliant among modern artists because, while including so much, he aimed his findings back to the human image as his principle motivation.
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