Sculptor Henry Moore

Henry Moore was one of the premier 20th-century sculptors, producing carvings, bronzes and drawings that can be found throughout galleries and museums worldwide. Additionally, he established a foundation to promote wider enjoyment of and participation in arts-related endeavors.

He championed direct carving, believing that sculpture should honor the inherent properties of materials. His art featured archetypes from different sculptural traditions.

Early Life and Education

Henry Spencer Moore was born on July 30, 1898, as one of eight children to William Moore of Castleford, Yorkshire. With their father struggling financially and encouraging them towards education and white collar careers such as mining or the arts rather than manual labor such as sculpture which his father considered too physically strenuous; Moore chose sculpture for a career path which irked him greatly as manual labour would not fit within this framework.

Moore is well known for his organically shaped semiabstract bronze sculptures with their organic forms and subversively earthy elements that have won him worldwide renown. Moore is best known for his signature motif of the reclining female figure with looping arms resembling roots, caves and hills which create an earthiness to his figures that make the archetypal image much more relatable and earthy than before. Furthermore, his expressive forms and his gentle redemptive vision of mankind has earned him international renown.

His works can be found in the collections of Kettle’s Yard, Pallant House Gallery and Tate Gallery as well as numerous other major museums and art galleries worldwide.

Professional Career

Henry was one of the original members of ConStruct, an artist-owned gallery which promoted and organized large-scale sculpture exhibitions across the US. Additionally, Henry established Montague Park Sculpture Fields where he transformed an old brownfield site into an impressive public art museum on 33 acres.

Fisk Art Galleries Director Jamaal Sheats is one of the many people influenced by Henry. He saw her work for the first time at Frist Art Museum in 2003, where it immediately made an impactful statement about it’s influence. Later, Sheats got one of Henry’s works (an untitled work from 2005 that references women at Christ’s tomb) tattooed on his arm as a reminder of her profound impact and its unique quality to both tidied up yet disturb.

Achievement and Honors

Henry was one of the original members of ConStruct, an artist-owned gallery which promoted and organized large-scale sculpture exhibitions across the U.S. He also founded Sculpture Fields at Montague Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee; turning an abandoned city-owned brownfield into an open to the public repository containing works by internationally-known artists on 33 acres that was accessible.

As a lecturer on sculpture and public art, Henry lectured widely. Additionally, he served on the Board of International Sculpture Center as Chairman for two years from 2001-2002; other honors include being honored on the floor of Tennessee State Senate 2004 as well as having North Cermak Road honorarily renamed in Chicago in 2005 in recognition of his contributions to public art on both local and national levels.

Personal Life

Henry has lectured widely on sculpture in the United States, becoming an esteemed expert on the topic. Additionally, Henry is well known as an advocate for large-scale public works of art; serving on the Board of Directors at International Sculpture Center as an honorary member.

His work can be found in numerous museums and galleries worldwide, such as Laumier Sculpture Park in St. Louis, Museum of Fine Arts Houston and Contemporary Sculpture Gallery Chicago. Furthermore, many prominent private, corporate and public collections hold his sculptures in their possession.

Moore resided at Hoglands, a house located in Perry Green Village until his death on 20 September 1986 at 85 years of age. He was laid to rest at Highgate Cemetery.

Net Worth

According to various online resources, Henry Moore is estimated to be worth an estimated $5 Million. His fortune was amassed through decades of professional sculpture work that can be found at such collections as Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Chatsworth House, Kew Gardens and Fitzwilliam Museum. However, his personal life remains private as he prefers not to discuss relationships publicly. Furthermore, his body measurements/height remain unknown in public forums despite having wife and children but does not disclose them by name publicly. Furthermore, he does not actively engage on social media either despite having wife/children without providing details.