A Unique Wooden Sculpture by Barbara Hepworth Preserved for the Nation
A notable wooden sculpture by the acclaimed abstract artist Barbara Hepworth, who is celebrated as a pivotal figure in 20th-century art, has been secured for the UK after a fundraising campaign successfully gathered £3.8 million.
Hepworth’s Milestone Piece from 1943
The artwork, titled Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red, crafted in 1943, represents a significant evolution in Hepworth’s artistic journey. This piece is among the few wooden sculptures she produced during the 1940s and is notably one of her initial major works to incorporate string elements.
Previously held in private ownership and seldom displayed publicly, the sculpture will now join the UK’s national collection and be permanently exhibited at the Hepworth Wakefield gallery, located in Hepworth’s birthplace in West Yorkshire. This marks its first public showing since its creation.
When the sculpture was sold to an unidentified buyer at Christie’s last year, the UK government intervened with a temporary export restriction. This action was meant to prevent the artwork from leaving the country and to provide time to raise the necessary funds to retain it in the UK.
Hepworth’s Legacy and Innovations
Hepworth (1903-75), a trailblazer of abstract sculpture, is renowned for her inventive use of string in her works, with this piece being among her earliest and most exemplary.
Hepworth relocated from London to Carbis Bay in St Ives in 1939 amidst the war, moving with her four young children and her second husband, painter Ben Nicholson. She initially brought only the model for Sculpture with Colour, which she completed in 1943. Faced with limited time, lack of studio space, and scarce materials, her circumstances changed in 1943 when she moved into a larger home with a small studio space and received a special permit to use wood for sculpting.
This particular sculpture is unique in Hepworth’s body of work for its use of multicolored strings set against a pale blue interior, a reflection of the Cornish landscape that surrounded her.
Public Support and Future Plans
The successful acquisition was made possible through over 2,800 public donations and several substantial grants, including £1.89 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £750,000 from the Art Fund. This acquisition significantly enhances The Hepworth Wakefield’s capacity to illustrate the breadth and innovation of Hepworth’s career.
Olivia Colling, interim director and CEO at the Hepworth Wakefield, expressed her belief that Hepworth would have been thrilled to see such widespread support ensuring her work becomes part of a public collection accessible to many.
Artist and Art Fund trustee Richard Deacon shared his personal connection to the piece, recalling its profound impact when he first saw it in a 1968 retrospective at the Tate. He expressed his joy at the sculpture’s excellent condition and its new permanent home at The Hepworth Wakefield, emphasizing its importance for future generations in the UK.
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