Theresa Thompson explores the works of Henry Moore... and more

Drawing makes you look more intensely, wrote Henry Moore in 1978. He wasn’t thinking of artists only, he insisted, but anyone, “even people who cannot draw, even people not trying to produce a good drawing.”

This quotation greets visitors to the Henry Moore – From Paper to Bronze exhibition in the Coach House Gallery at Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire, where until October 25, a selection of 100 Moore drawings has gone on show – some famous such as his wartime drawings, some rarely seen, along with two major pieces of sculpture.

“The idea was to chart Moore’s life and career, and the exhibition design corresponds to decades in his life,” said Sebastiano Barassi, curator of the exhibition and senior curator at The Henry Moore Foundation which loaned the works to Waddesdon.

Looking at this miscellany of drawings, noticing the changes decade by decade, we see how for Moore drawing was completely fundamental. Although he is by far best known as a sculptor, Moore was a prolific and talented draughtsman. Drawing was a way to observe what was around him, a way to learn about nature and form, and a means of developing his sculptural ideas.

Yes, there are works here that are obvious adjuncts to his sculptures – a superb example is the heavy reclining figure on steps from 1930 where Moore explores the figure’s relationship with its surroundings, observing that there were three points of contact: elbows, buttocks and feet – but there are also many that stand as drawings in their own right.

From the 1930s we see him engaging with various languages of art, such as constructivism and surrealism, studying mathematical forms from models at the Science Museum, and engaging with and interpreting other artists.

There is surprising variety here: from the not-so-surprising figure studies, sheep and tree studies, to the unexpected rhino and elephants, and a sunset that some think Turner-esque.

There are also hand studies – Moore made many, for he thought hands the most expressive part of the body, after the face and head – including the very last drawing he made, of his own hands (1984/5) while suffering from very bad arthritis.

One of Moore’s most iconic figural groups, the bronze King and Queen is on view in the Coach House (on loan from a private collection), while Hill Arches (1973) spectacularly stands on a slight mound near the aviary.

There are always new things to seek out on any visit to Waddesdon and its lovely grounds. This summer, apart from the major new acquisition by the Rothschild Foundation of Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos’ monumental pair of contemporary sculptures (called Lafite the ‘candlesticks’ are made of glass wine bottles from a Château Lafite Rothschild vineyard in Bordeaux), there’s also some truly amazing carpet bedding designed by artist Simon Periton.

Periton’s 3D installation creates a genuine ‘wow’ moment as you turn a corner and see it: a giant ball positioned as if it’s just about to bounce down the Parterre, and a huge scalpel placed as if to cut a brutal line through the perfectly symmetrical flower bed.

Where & When
Henry Moore – From Paper to Bronze. Waddesdon Manor. 
Until October 25.
waddesdon.org.uk henry-moore.org