Henry Moore: Monumental Nature

Description:

This landmark publication explores Henry Moore’s profound dialogue with nature as a vital force shaping his vision of life and humanity.

Henry Moore is one of the most distinctive and important British artists of the 20th century. This landmark publication explores Moore’s profound dialogue with nature - not as simple inspiration, but as a vital force shaping his vision of life and humanity.

Published in conjunction with the major exhibition on the artist opening in 2026 at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, organised with the Henry Moore Foundation, which will bring together more than 100 works spanning from monumental bronzes to drawings, maquettes, prints and carvings. Showcased across the landscapes of Kew and Wakehurst and in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, the selection highlights the breadth and diversity of Moore’s artistic practice, offering insight into the creative processes that informed his most celebrated large-scale sculptures.

The book explores Moore’s work through the lens of nature, with essays from leading art scholars and Kew experts, revealing various viewpoints from which his work can be understood. Edited by Laura Bruni, Curator of Exhibitions at the Henry Moore Foundation, the book examines Moore’s work and his relationship with nature across three sections, offering a fresh perspective on his evolving practice, with particular focus on his profound and multifaceted connection to the natural world. For Moore, nature was more than a source of visual inspiration; it was a guiding force and a mirror of the human condition. This book reveals how he engaged with the natural world not only as an artist but also as a thinker: investigating the interdependence of plant, animal, and human life.

Laura Bruni’s essay offers an overarching perspective, situating Moore’s deliberate use of materials within his sustained engagement with nature and organic forms. It traces the connections between his practice, botany, and the natural world, while also providing a focused analysis of selected works. Contributions by Sebastiano Barassi, Head of Collections & Programmes, and Lisa Le Feuvre, Inaugural Executive Director of the Holt/Smithson Foundation, focus on Moore’s artistic output in the landscape. Giovanni Aloi of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago considers Moore’s body of drawings on trees, created towards the end of the artist’s career.

Specialists from Kew consider Moore in relation to their own specific area of expertise. Continuing the theme of landscape in Moore’s work, Kevin Martin, Head of Tree Collections, describes the changing landscape at Kew and how it will adapt in the future. Richard Buggs, Senior Research Leader and evolutionary biologist, considers the artistry of nature at a microscopic level, something that fascinated Moore early in his career. Lynn Parker, Illustrations & Artefacts Curator, reflects on the unexpected synergies between botanical illustration and Moore’s work. Finally, Iain Parkinson, Wakehurst’s Head of Landscape & Horticulture, considers the relationship of the landscape at Wakehurst and Moore’s sculptures on display there.

All together these texts invite a deep, interdisciplinary reappraisal of Moore’s practice, one that challenges conventional readings and underscores his relevance as an artist of both his time and ours.

Stunningly presented, this book will be a lifelong keepsake, with beautiful illustrations throughout and a must-have for any Moore enthusiast and nature lover.

With a foreword by Godfrey Worsdale and Richard Deverell, Directors of the Henry Moore Foundation and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, respectively.