Rare Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Faces UK Export Ban

A sculpture by Dame Barbara Hepworth, one of Britain's most lauded 20th-century artists, has been placed under a temporary export bar

A sculpture by Dame Barbara Hepworth, one of Britain’s most lauded 20th-century artists, has been placed under a temporary export bar to keep it in the country.

Valued at just under £3.7 million, Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red is a rare example of Hepworth’s innovative use of colour and string. A government panel has deemed it of exceptional national importance.

The export bar, which comes into effect in February 2025, presents an opportunity for a UK gallery or institution to come up with the funds to buy the sculpture and secure it for the nation. “Barbara Hepworth was quite simply a phenomenal artistic genius, and this piece gives us a unique glimpse into how she responded creatively to the dramatic upheavals of the Second World War, which saw her move to the dramatic landscapes of St Ives in Cornwall. This sculpture captures the essence of her new environment. “It’s a beautiful insight into her transition as an artist and her ability to draw inspiration from the natural world. I hope we can keep it in the UK, where future generations can continue to learn from and admire one of our most important cultural figures.”, Stuart Lochhead, RCEWA Committee Member, said.

Created in 1943, Sculpture with Colour – Oval Form (Pale Blue and Red) represents one of the touchstones in Hepworth’s career. The piece comes from a series of works she created during the war when materials were scarce, and her practice was deeply affected by the Cornwall coastal environment. Combining painted wood and string, the sculpture is both an exploration of form and a homage to the organic elements of her surroundings, echoing the interplay of sea, sky, and land.

This work is unique in Hepworth’s oeuvre: it is the only surviving oval carving from this series, as the prototype was tragically destroyed in a later attempt to cast it in bronze. It also marks an evolution in Hepworth’s artistic journey, bridging the early phases of her career with the later prominence she achieved through monumental commissions, such as Single Form at the United Nations Plaza in New York.

“This piece embodies the Cornish sky and coastline that profoundly shaped Hepworth’s practice. It is one of only a handful of stringed and coloured works from this period, demonstrating her groundbreaking creativity during a time of immense personal and global upheaval, Lochhead added.

RCEWA has concluded that the sculpture meets all three Waverley Criteria, which are the criteria against which the national importance of an object of cultural interest is assessed. The expert panel underlined its outstanding connection to Britain’s cultural history, exceptional aesthetic value, and critical significance in understanding Hepworth’s artistic development.

Hepworth, born in Wakefield in 1903, became an icon of modern sculpture. She pioneered the technique of direct carving, whereby the relationship between the artist and the material becomes essential. Her works epitomise a harmonious marriage between abstraction and nature; Sculpture with Colour-Oval Form, Pale Blue and Red, is a quintessential illustration of this ethos.

By introducing colour and string into her work, Hepworth was innovative, producing pieces that pre-empted later investigations in modern art. These innovations were first conceptualised in London but fully realised in Cornwall-testify her remarkable ability to balance intellectual rigour with a deep emotional connection to the landscape.

The export bar is a critical opportunity for UK institutions to take action. The deadline for an initial decision is February 26, 2025, but this period can be extended if a severe buyer comes forward. The sculpture is valued at £3,652,180.63, plus VAT, and fundraising will likely be both rapid and competitive.

For many in the art world, keeping this sculpture in Britain is more than preserving a single work; it’s about ensuring that Hepworth’s legacy remains accessible to the public. Her works, including monumental Contrapuntal Forms created for the 1951 Festival of Britain, still stand tall; her vision continues in ways that inspire abstraction and emotion.

The sculpture mirrors its creator’s: resilient, creative, and rooted in place. Born into a family of modest means, Hepworth was to dedicate her life to the interplay between humanity and nature. Her work remains celebrated internationally, with pieces currently housed in prestigious institutions and public spaces from Harlow in Essex to New York City.

This sculpture, however, is especially resonant, encapsulating a formative moment in her career. Its loss to a foreign collection would be a blow to Britain’s cultural heritage. Sir Chris Bryant aptly noted that the piece is “as powerful and engaging now as during her lifetime.” The hope is that a UK institution will come forward to ensure this unique work of art remains within reach of the British public so that it can continue telling its story for generations to come.

Organisations or individuals interested in acquiring the sculpture should contact the RCEWA. The effort to retain Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form), Pale Blue and Red in the UK represents a vital opportunity to preserve a cornerstone of one of Britain’s most outstanding artistic legacies.

Top Photo: Barbara Hepworth Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red Courtesy Christie’s

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