(Castleford 1898–1986 Much Hadham) Three Points, 1939–40, bronze with golden patina, numbered on the underside A 0/8 (Epreuve d’Artiste), with founder’s mark susse fond - Paris, on marble base, 18.5 x 20 x 10 cm, (PP)

Literature: Herbert Read, David Sylvester, Henry Moore: complete sculpture 1921–48, Lund Humphries, London 1957, vol. I, p. 12, no. 211, with ill., p. 137 Compare: Elda Fezzi, Henry Moore, I Maestri del Novecento, Sansoni Editore 1971, no. 9, p. 96, ill. no. 9, p. 53; Jeremy Lewison, Henry Moore 1898–1986, Taschen Cologne 2007, p. 48, with ill., p. 49 Compare: Henry Moore, Three Points, 1939–40, bronze, in the collection of Tate Modern, London: www.tate.org.uk Provenance: Marlborough Fine Art Ltd., London; European private collection In the early 1930s Henry Moore’s sculpture became ever more abstract. During regular trips to Paris, he met Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Hans Arp and Alberto Giacometti. The English sculptor was also preoccupied with Surrealism, which can be seen in numerous works, such as in ‘Three Points’. ‘The use of space in Three Points creates a sense of anticipation. Moore commented, ‘This pointing has an emotional or physical action in it where things are just about to touch but don’t ... like the points in the sparking plug of a car ... the spark has to jump across the gap’.’ (Tate Collection, Three Points by Henry Moore, www.tate.org.uk)