Bidspirit auction | Henry Moore ”Two Standing Women”

Henry Moore ”Two Standing Women” Bronze - Henry Moore (British, 1898-1986). Cast bronze sculpture titled ”Two Standing Women, ” 1983. Incised signature and editioned 1/9 along the base. Cast at the Fiorini Ltd. foundry in London. Reference: LH 894. Provenance: Fischer Fine Art Limited, London, 1984; Private Minnesota Collection. Please note, the document photographed is a copy, the original will not be provided. Print-out of the image is available upon request. Lot Essay: Henry Moore was a seminal figure in Modernist sculpture, best known for his monumental, semi-abstract bronze forms. Born in Castleford, Yorkshire in 1898 to a working-class family, Moore showed early artistic promise and was inspired to become a sculptor after hearing about Michelangelo. After serving in World War I, he resumed his studies with an ex-serviceman’s grant, first at Leeds School of Art and then at the Royal College of Art in London. There he met Barbara Hepworth and began experimenting with modernist and primitive forms, which would define his early style. His travels to Italy and Paris exposed him to Michelangelo, the Chac Mool figure, and the avant-garde, all of which deeply influenced his approach to form, material, and abstraction. Moore played a crucial role in introducing modernist sculpture to Britain. He was closely associated with figures like Barbara Hepworth, Kenneth Clark, and members of the Surrealist and Constructivist movements, including Pablo Picasso, Jean Arp, and Naum Gabo. In the 1930s, he joined Paul Nash’s Unit One group and exhibited at the International Surrealist Exhibition. During World War II, Moore produced haunting drawings of Londoners sheltering during the Blitz, which gained international recognition. Post-war, his work took on a monumental scale and often featured recurring themes like reclining figures and mother-and-child compositions. He was increasingly sought after for public commissions, including major works for the UNESCO headquarters, the Festival of Britain, and the University of Chicago. Moore’s legacy in the art world is immense. His abstract but humanistic sculptures became symbols of endurance and continuity in the postwar era. Through his success, he amassed great wealth but lived modestly, channeling much of his fortune into the Henry Moore Foundation, which continues to support the arts. He influenced generations of artists such as Anthony Caro, Eduardo Paolozzi, and Lynn Chadwick, while maintaining a massive global presence in public collections and exhibitions. Moore resisted establishment honors like a knighthood, preferring to remain connected to the wider artistic community. His work, known for its organic form and profound spatial presence, continues to shape the discourse of modern sculpture to this day. Height: 6 1/2 in x width: 4 in x depth: 2 3/4 in. Condition: Please email us at condition@revereauctions.com for a condition report or additional photos.