Henry Moore was one of the greatest sculptors and artists of the twentieth century.
He was born in Yorkshire to a mining family. In 1916 he began teaching at Castleford Grammar School, until 1917 when he served in the army for two years. Following this, he resumed teaching but shortly after resigned to attend Leeds School of Art. He received a scholarship in 1921 which he held for three years, during which time he visited Paris for the first time in 1923.
In 1925 he travelled to France and Italy on a travelling scholarship, before he returned to teach at the RCA until 1932. It was during this period that he held his first solo exhibition, which took place in 1928 at the Warren Gallery, and also when he received his first public commission, which was for a relief on the St James' Underground Building the same year. Moore then taught at the Chelsea School of Art for a period of seven years. In 1930 he became a Member of the London Group, the National Society in 1931, the 7 & 5 Society in 1932 and Unit One in 1933. Other members of the Seven and Five Society included Barbara Hepworth, John Piper, Cedric Morris, Ivon Hitchens, Ben and Winifred Nicholson, Christopher Wood and David Jones.
Exhibitions of his work have been held at the Leicester Galleries, Marlborough Fine Art, and the International Surrealist Exhibitions in both London and Paris. In 1940 he became the official War Artist for two years. A retrospective exhibition of his work was held at Temple Newsam, Leeds, in both 1941 and 1945, in the U.S.A. in 1946-7, and throughout the world following this.
Moore won prizes at Venice in 1948, São Paulo in 1953 and Pittsburgh in 1958. He was a Trustee of the Tate Gallery in 1941-8 and 1949-56, and of the National Gallery from 1956. He was a member of the Art Panel of the Arts Council from 1945-51 and of the Royal Fine Art Commission, London, from 1947. Moore travelled widely, visiting Spain in 1936, New York in 1946, Greece in 1951, Brazil and Mexico in 1953, as well as Paris, Italy and other European countries on more than one occasion. His work is included in public and private collections worldwide, for example Deutsche Bank.
In 1948 he was honoured by ARIBA His services to and outstanding achievements in art were recognised in 1955 with the Companion of Honour, and in 1963 with the Order of Merit.
