Displaying items by tag: reclining figure

A bronze sculpture by the British artist Henry Moore was stolen from a park in Scotland last week. Standing Figure (1950), which measures over 7 feet tall, was one of four Moore pieces in the Glenkiln Sculpture Park, which includes works by Auguste Rodin and Jacob Epstein.

This not the first time that a large, sculptural work by Moore has been targeted by thieves. Last year, two men were arrested for stealing a sculpture from the estate of the Henry Moore Foundation in England and in 2005 Moore’s monumental Reclining Figure was stolen from the grounds. Police believe that the sculpture, which weighed over two tons, could have been melted down and sold for scrap metal.

Moore amassed considerable wealth after gaining recognition for his large-scale, semi-abstract works and fulfilled numerous significant commissions. Despite his affluence, Moore lived frugally and put most of his fortune towards endowing the Henry Moore Foundation, which continues to support education and promotion of the arts.

A monumental sculpture by the British artist Henry Moore will be offered at Christie’s evening sale of Impressionist and Modern Art on November 5, 2013 in New York. Reclining Figure, a bronze sculpture measuring over 11 feet, is estimated to sell for $6 million-$8 million. The work is being sold by a “Distinguished Collection,” where it has resided for 35 years.

Reclining Figure is one of the massive sculptures that dominated Moore’s later works and boasts the natural undulating silhouette that he is well-known for. Moore has fared increasingly well at auction in recent years and a world record for the artist was set at Christie’s London in 2012 when Reclining Figure: Festival, achieved over $30 million.

Brooke Lampley, Head of Department, Impressionist & Modern Art at Christie’s, said, “In this work, Moore expertly balanced the figurative and the abstract to captivating effect – the mere silhouette of a body is visible, overshadowed by its resplendent curves. Reclining Figure is an icon by one of the greatest of all Modern sculptors.”

The work will go on view outside at Christie’s plaza in Rockefeller Center a few weeks prior to the sale.