Zdzislaw Ruszkowski (1907-1991)

Michael Simonow comments 'Mr and Mrs Ash were living at this time in Great Hallingbury, Essex. They were good friends of Henry Moore, who lived close by in Much Hadham. Through them, Ruszkowski became acquainted with the sculptor. The idea of a living person surrounded by sculptures fascinated him. He went a number of times to Moore's studio and prepared several sketches of the swirling hollow shapes of the sculptures and of Moore moving between them. Finally he decided on a composition in which the vertical centre consisted of a figure of Moore and the chimney of his cottage. The centre was surrounded by the wary shapes of the sculptures. To accentuate the rhythm of the shapes, he painted the sculptor with folded hands. Moore came to see the painting at the Roland, Browse and Delbanco exhibition' (M. Simonow, Ruszkowski, A Catalogue Raisonné of his Paintings, London, 1987, p. 106).