Henry Moore: Sculptural Process and Public Identity

In 1930 and 1931 Moore and his friends took summer holidays together on the coast of Norfolk, at Happisburgh. This photograph showing Moore carrying a block of stone is believed to have been taken by the painter Ben Nicholson, in 1932. That year Moore and his wife Irina were joined on the trip by Ivon Hitchens, Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson and Douglas and Mary Jenkins. Although this particular trip is usually cited in Art History as marking the end of Hepworth’s marriage to John Skeaping and the start of her relationship with Nicholson, it was also important for the development of Moore’s artistic trajectory. It was during this trip that he got to know Nicholson better, and from the 1931 onwards Moore’s blocky style gave way to experiments with constructive art, as developed by Nicholson, Hepworth and Naum Gabo.