Henry Moore (British, 1898-1986)

The genesis of Moore’s Upright Motif series began with a commission in Milan to create a sculpture in front of a new Olivetti building. The building’s horizontality drove Moore to think vertically. Balancing one form on top of another, Moore’s Upright Motifs grew organically, recalling totem poles from the indigenous cultures of the Pacific Northwest. Upright Motive E illustrates the conclusion of the series; the once disparate and isolated shapes have coalesced into a fluid, yet figural form. The fully realized sculptures from the series can be found in public collections across the globe.