Henry Moore

Waddington Galleries, London
Kasahara Gallery, Osaka 
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 1987

John Hedgecoe, ed., Henry Moore, New York, 1968, illustration of the terracotta p. 162
Robert Melville, Henry Moore: Sculpture and Drawings 1921-1969, London, 1970, no. 345, illustration of the terracotta n.p.
Josep Iglesias del Marquet, Henry Moore: Y El Inquietante Infinito, Barcelona, 1979, illustrations of another cast p. 133
David Mitchinson, Henry Moore Sculpture, London, 1981, no. 178, illustration of the terracotta p. 95
David Sylvester, ed., Henry Moore: Complete Sculpture 1921-48, vol. 1, London, 1988, no. 265, illustrations of another cast p. 150

This work is in overall very good condition with an attractive dark brown patina. Minor oxidization and surface dirt to the crevices and some patina wear and light surface scratches in places, consistent with age and handling.
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.
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One of the key subjects of Henry Moore's art, the Family Group was particularly prominent in his sculpture during the years 1944-48. As the artist explained: "The idea of the family group crystallised before the war. Henry Morris, the Director of Education for Cambridgeshire, asked me to do a sculpture for the Impington Village College, the first of the modern schools in England. It had been designed by Walter Gropius. As the College was going to be used for adult education as well, the idea of connecting parents and children came into my mind. I think that the first family group drawings and maquettes were done in 1935-6, although I didn't actually make the full-size sculpture until later" (quoted in John Hedgecoe, ed., op.cit., p. 163).

The present work is one of the most relaxed of this series of compositions: the forms of the figures are strong and harmonious and they are set in an easy and natural spatial relationship. The couple sit side by side, with the man’s square shoulders forming the perfect foil to the woman’s curved silhouette. Their broad torsos promise shelter to the children, the eldest of whom is stood between the father’s legs whilst the smaller child clambers on the mother’s lap.

Discussing this important series in the context of the artist's oeuvre, Will Grohmann writes: "With the Family Group theme Moore regained his freedom since the commissions received were less restricting. He started working on these groups at about the same time as the Madonna. In the years 1944 to 1947 he produced a number of larger and smaller variations in stone, bronze and terracotta, differing considerably from one another, being both naturalistic and non-naturalistic, though never as abstract as the Reclining Figures. The theme does not hem him in, but demands a certain readiness to enter into the meaning of a community such as a family" (Will Grohmann, The Art of Henry Moore, London, 1960, p. 141).