Henry Moore

Marlborough Fine Art, London (1966)

Gimpel  Fils, London (1967)

Dr. & Mrs. M. D. Lipsey, New York (acquired from the above on January 26, 1967)

Private Collection, London

Ionel Jianou, Henry Moore, Paris, 1968, no. 521, illustration of another cast pl. 33

Robert Melville, Henry Moore, Sculpture and Drawings 1921-1969, London, 1970, no. 700, illustration of another cast p. 366

Alan Bowness, ed., Henry Moore, Sculpture and Drawings, vol. IV, London, 1977, no. 543, illustration of another cast p. 44 & pls. 38-39

Franco Russoli & David Mitchinson, Henry Moore, Sculpture, London, 1981, figs. 407 & 408, illustration of another cast p. 189

Very good condition. The bronze is highly polished, and bears a few insignificant nicks and scratches typical of its age.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Two Piece Sculpture No. 7 employs the elements of sculptural separation and the creation of negative space. The artist began to create sculptures consisting of more than one piece in the 1930s when, according to his own account, he "realised what an advantage a separate two-piece composition could have in relating figures to landscape. Knees and breasts are mountains. Once these two parts become separated you don't expect it to be a naturalistic figure; therefore you can more justifiably make it like a landscape or a rock. If it is a single figure you can guess what it's going to be like. If it is in two pieces, there's a bigger surprise, you have more unexpected views; therefore the special advantage over painting - of having the possibility of many different views - is more fully exploited" (quoted in Carlton Lake, Atlantic Monthly, vol. 209, no. 1, Boston, January 1962, p. 44).

The present bronze, one of the few highly polished versions of this sculpture, is number three from an edition of nine numbered casts.  According to the Henry Moore Foundation, this sculpture was cast in a numbered edition of 9, plus one artist's proof by the Hermann Noack foundry in Berlin.   Other casts of this sculpture are in the collections of the Tate Museum, London and the Whitworth Gallery, Manchester.