Jerwood Collection acquires 1957 drawing by Barbara Hepworth

Dame Barbara Hepworth

(1903-1975)

Project (winged figure – brass) , 1957

We’re delighted to announce a new Jerwood Collection acquisition: a 1957 drawing by Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975), Project (winged figure – brass).

This expressive work joins Hepworth’s earlier piece Study for Lisa (Hands to Face),1949 already held in the Collection, offering a fascinating glimpse into her evolving practice across the decades.

Made during a period when Hepworth was experimenting with copper and brass sheet in her sculpture, this drawing reflects a bold shift in her visual language, moving from the precision of earlier gessoed works to dynamic brush and ink sketches capturing movement, space, and form.

Influences from her contemporaries, including Pierre Soulages and Hans Hartung, resonate in the gestural energy of this piece and this drawing relates directly to her 1957 sculpture Maquette for Winged Figure I, a precursor to the monumental Winged Figure installed on the John Lewis building in 1963.

 

September 16, 2025