Henry Moor's Appropriation

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Henry Moore, one of the key figures in modern sculpture. His works are usually abstraction of human figures, typically depicting female and reclining figures. He received academic art education in his early years, but the truly significant impacts on his original artistic conception are the violent passions, organic forms came from American and African native art. Moore combined the passions of primitive art with modern forms, creates his unique way of expression. Conclusively, he liberate the human figurer from surrealism and cubism conventions, emphasize his sculptures with nature curves and humanism themes. Through a closer look at Moore’s piece, The Reclining figure 1951. This research will further explore moor’s appropriation practices in native art, surrealism, classical order, industrial design, and principles technique. In order to demonstrate Moor’s appropriation as a vehicle for him to communicate with the modern art world and undertakes appropriation to create his expression. 1929, Henry Moor was inspired by a statue called ChacMool, an ancient Mexican Toltec-Maya figure in the Trocadero Museum. Under the inspiration of South American native art, Moore created his first reclining figure. The 1929 Reclining Figure in Brown Horton stone. It is one of Moore’s first sculptures to demonstrate his distinctive individual style and largely appropriated the native forms and natural curves from the ChacMool statue. Apparently, the appropriation of primitive models, non-western …show more content…

Conclusively, the non-western art is not Moore’s only focus. In the mid of the nineteenth century, Moore became more interested in utilizing three dimensions. The pursuing of new techniques and expressive style have led him to introduce industry design, and “holes” in his

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