Henry Moore

Mary Moore (the artist's daughter)
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 1990

Paris, Didier Imbert Fine Art, Henry Moore Intime, 1992, illustrated in the catalogue
Tokyo, Sezon Museum of Art (and travelling in Japan), Henry Moore Intime, 1992-93, no. I-7

Alan G. Wilkinson, The Moore Collection in the Art Gallery of Ontario, Ontario, 1979, no. 125, illustration of another cast p. 152
Alan Bowness (ed.), Henry Moore, Sculpture and Drawing, London, 1986, vol. 3, no. 418, illustration of another cast p. 32
John Hedgecoe & Michael Parke-Taylor, A Monumental Vision, The Sculpture of Henry Moore, London, 1998, no. 384, illustration of another cast p. 223

There is some minor wear to the patina consistent with age and handling. There is a small shallow surface scratch to the front right of the base and a few spots of losses to the laquer at front left (visible in the catalogue illustration). This work is in very good condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Moore's seated figures are amongst the most celebrated sculptures of the twentieth century. Seated Woman in a Chair is a particularly elegant rendering of this subject, one which is greatly enhanced by the exquisite handling of the drapery. On his use of drapery Moore wrote: 'Drapery can emphasise the tension in a figure, for where the form pushes outwards, such as on the shoulders, the thighs, the breasts, etc., it can be pulled tight across the form (almost like a bandage), and by contrast with the crumpled slackness of the drapery which lies between the salient points, the pressure from inside is intensified' (quoted in Henry Moore, Sculptures, Drawings, Graphics, 1921-1981 (exhibition catalogue), Palacio de Vélazquez, Madrid, 1981, p. 121).

This delicate sculpture, modelled with gently rippling drapery and a poised tension in the folding limbs, is a wonderfully composed presentation of the seated figure. Moore stated that: 'The human form has always been my main concern. It's what we know most about - the softness and slackness of flesh, the hardness of bone, all the energy that is pent up in our own bodies... There is a deeper truth to be found in the knowledge of sculpture than just the appearance of a sculpture... A work of sculpture can have in it a pent-up energy, an alert tension between its parts, and intense life of its own, independent of the object it may represent' (quoted in Henry Moore, My Ideas, Inspiration and Life as an Artist, London, 1986, p. 102).

The original owner of this work was Mary Moore, the artist's daughter. Other casts of Seated Woman in a Chair can be found in prominent international collections, such as The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C. and The Art Gallery of Ontario.