Reclining Figure 1939

This sculpture, Reclining Figure, was created by Henry Moore, who started off carving in stone but later in his career worked with bronze casting. Moore’s work is all about process: the feel of the material in your hands, the way the form emerges from the void. The surface is so smooth, dark and polished, in contrast with its organic form. You can see how he’s playing with weight and balance. The figure is not grounded, but floating, with voids carved out of the material creating a sense of lightness and movement, and emphasizing its horizontality. It's a very tactile piece: the forms are rounded, and you want to run your hand over them. Thinking about contemporaries, Barbara Hepworth comes to mind. Both were interested in abstraction, but Moore always kept one foot in figuration. Both explored similar themes, but their approach was distinct, engaging in their own kind of exchange. Art, after all, is always a dialogue.