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Dame Barbara Hepworth (British, 1903-1975) Four Hemispheres 16 cm. (6 1/4 in.) high (each elemen...
1/8
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Description
Dame Barbara Hepworth (British, 1903-1975) Four Hemispheres signed and numbered 'Barbara Hepworth/6/10' (on one base) lead crystal 16 cm. (6 1/4 in.) high (each element) Conceived in 1970 (4) Footnotes: Provenance Commissioned from the Artist by Carborundum Company, Niagara Falls, New York, by whom gifted to Kenneth J. Galm, Indianapolis, 1974, by whom gifted to Montrose Davis McClenny & Charlotte Galm McClenny, Indianapolis, from whom acquired by Private Collection Their sale, Sotheby's, London, 18 November 2014, lot 142, where acquired by the present owners Exhibited Zurich, Marlborough Galerie AG, Barbara Hepworth, 13 August-31 October 1975 (another cast) Wakefield, The Hepworth Wakefield, Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life, 21 May 2021-27 February 2022; this exhibition also travelled to St Ives, Tate St Ives, 26 November 2022-1 May 2023 (another cast) Literature Eleanor Clayton, Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life, Thames & Hudson, London, 2021, p.249 (ill.b&w, another cast) The hemisphere theme first appeared in Hepworth's work in the 1930s in examples such as Pierced Hemisphere I (The Hepworth Wakefield) and Pierced Hemisphere II (Tate Collection). In 1967, Three Hemispheres was produced which led to the four-part variation of the present example. Each of the four forms sits on a square base and is positioned slightly back and facing upwards, exploring the interplay between mass and space. The hollowed-out and pierced forms create a sense of openness and connection, inviting viewers to consider the relationship between the sculpture, its environment, and their own perception. The use of lead crystal here enabled Hepworth to explore the motif in new ways and is indicative of her willingness, throughout her career, to discovering the possibilities within various mediums. Hepworth linked these half spheres to the forms of satellite dishes, specifically the ones built in 1962 at Gonhilly in Cornwall, which she saw as a symbol of technological progress and modernity. Although this sculpture was originally intended to be produced in an edition of one hundred, only ten, plus the artist's copy, were cast at Barthmann Crystal Foundry in Germany. It was commissioned for Carborundum Company, Niagara Falls, New York, and was reproduced on the front cover of the marketing report they produced in 1974. The present work is a significant example of Hepworth's mature style, showcasing her mastery of form, space, and material. The transparency and solidity of lead crystal, together with the concave forms that refract light and the ability of each element to be moved, result in a highly dynamic work. Four Hemispheres continues to be admired for its elegance, its engagement with both nature and technology, and its contribution to the development of abstract sculpture. We are grateful to Dr Sophie Bowness for her kind assistance with the cataloguing apparatus for the present work, which will feature in her forthcoming revised catalogue raisonné of the Artist's sculpture as cat.no.BH517. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: AR AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing
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Dame Barbara Hepworth (British, 1903-1975) Four Hemispheres signed and numbered 'Barbara Hepworth/6/10' (on one base) lead crystal 16 cm. (6 1/4 in.) high (each element) Conceived in 1970 (4) Footnotes: Provenance Commissioned from the Artist by Carborundum Company, Niagara Falls, New York, by whom gifted to Kenneth J. Galm, Indianapolis, 1974, by whom gifted to Montrose Davis McClenny & Charlotte Galm McClenny, Indianapolis, from whom acquired by Private Collection Their sale, Sotheby's, London, 18 November 2014, lot 142, where acquired by the present owners Exhibited Zurich, Marlborough Galerie AG, Barbara Hepworth, 13 August-31 October 1975 (another cast) Wakefield, The Hepworth Wakefield, Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life, 21 May 2021-27 February 2022; this exhibition also travelled to St Ives, Tate St Ives, 26 November 2022-1 May 2023 (another cast) Literature Eleanor Clayton, Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life, Thames & Hudson, London, 2021, p.249 (ill.b&w, another cast) The hemisphere theme first appeared in Hepworth's work in the 1930s in examples such as Pierced Hemisphere I (The Hepworth Wakefield) and Pierced Hemisphere II (Tate Collection). In 1967, Three Hemispheres was produced which led to the four-part variation of the present example. Each of the four forms sits on a square base and is positioned slightly back and facing upwards, exploring the interplay between mass and space. The hollowed-out and pierced forms create a sense of openness and connection, inviting viewers to consider the relationship between the sculpture, its environment, and their own perception. The use of lead crystal here enabled Hepworth to explore the motif in new ways and is indicative of her willingness, throughout her career, to discovering the possibilities within various mediums. Hepworth linked these half spheres to the forms of satellite dishes, specifically the ones built in 1962 at Gonhilly in Cornwall, which she saw as a symbol of technological progress and modernity. Although this sculpture was originally intended to be produced in an edition of one hundred, only ten, plus the artist's copy, were cast at Barthmann Crystal Foundry in Germany. It was commissioned for Carborundum Company, Niagara Falls, New York, and was reproduced on the front cover of the marketing report they produced in 1974. The present work is a significant example of Hepworth's mature style, showcasing her mastery of form, space, and material. The transparency and solidity of lead crystal, together with the concave forms that refract light and the ability of each element to be moved, result in a highly dynamic work. Four Hemispheres continues to be admired for its elegance, its engagement with both nature and technology, and its contribution to the development of abstract sculpture. We are grateful to Dr Sophie Bowness for her kind assistance with the cataloguing apparatus for the present work, which will feature in her forthcoming revised catalogue raisonné of the Artist's sculpture as cat.no.BH517. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: AR AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing
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