The Drawings of Henry Moore

Description

Henry Moore's Shelter Drawings are universally recognised as a key element of his oeuvre. However, these drawings should not be seen in isolation: this volume provides a highly readable account of the development of all of Moore's drawings as a draughtsman so providing a well-rounded discussion of this significant aspect of his artistic output. In 1953 Moore wrote, 'there is a general idea that sculptors' drawings should be diagrammatic studies, without any sense of background behind the object or of any atmosphere around it. [...] And yet the sculptor is as much concerned with space as the painter.' This statement gains resonance in the pages of this book - it becomes clear that Moore's drawing often ran ahead of his sculpture and that at certain points he was exercising an almost parallel career exploring essentially pictorial ideas that were difficult or even impossible to realise in sculpture. Including a wealth of colour reproductions, The Drawings of Henry Moore balances first-class imagery with discussion of a range of fascinating themes such as the relationship between the sculptural and the pictorial and Moore's engagement with Surrealism and British Neo-Romanticism. For both scholars and enthusiasts, it is an essential resource.

Andrew Causey was the author and co-author of numerous books including Paul Nash: Critical Study and Catalogue Raisonne and Hand to Earth: Andy Goldsworthy's Environmental Sculptures. He was Emeritus Professor of History of Modern Art at Manchester University.

'Andrew Causey's book is an excellent introduction to Moore's drawing because it locates the artist within the context of the criticism through which he developed, as well as discussing him from a contemporary viewpoint ... This is a fascinating and revealing study written with admirable clarity.' The Art Newspaper 'Readable, beautiful, and presenting a new way of looking at Moore's art, this work is a joy and recommended for artists, academics, and the general public.' Library Journal 'Supported by a thoroughly researched, informative and accessible text, Causey engages the reader in Moore's biography, theories and working practices relating to his drawings ... Causey's excellent book will inform and inspire, and provides a fascinating look into the creative mind of one of Britain's greatest artists'. The Artist