Henry Moore at Osborne Samuel

Designed to illustrate the progression and genius that he possessed from an early age, the Henry Moore exhibition at Osborne Samuel gallery has been orchestrated to show just that. With pieces that have never been seen before, the exhibition wants the viewer to delve deeper into what would later influence some of Moore’s most well-known pieces and key design traits, such as the reclining figures.

Peter Osborne, the curator of the exhibition and a personal friend of Moore’s, explains that they “have had several Henry Moore exhibitions at the gallery but perhaps none quite so ambitious as this…a show of rare and important small works, including some very significant new discoveries.”

Unlike the usual cast bronze sculptures that Moore is famous for, the exhibition shows that he truly was a master of his craft, who could work with and manipulate all sorts of materials, from wood, stone, clay, metal, plaster and others. Everything that he worked with had a very tactile beginning. All his creations started with something that he could hold in his hands.

Moore was particularly interested in exploring the importance and significance of individual’s relationships to each other, specifically the relationship between mother and child. This would later become a theme that would dominate the figures he created and would lead him to define the idea of maternal strength and protection, even in his helmet sculptures. What’s clear to see is that the women he created in his pieces all have a very strong yet nurturing presence. It has been suggested that he took this idea from the strong women that surrounded him – his mother and his wife.

This truly is a wonderful exhibition that allows one to get to know Moore on a personal level. With new discoveries and never-before-seen pieces, this is a must-see for fans of Moore and curious art connoisseurs alike.

Amaliah Sara Marmon-Halm

Henry Moore is at Osborne Samuel until 22^nd June 2015, for further information visit here.