Thursday 5th May 2022 (Booking Thursday 17th March)
This visit has been brought forward from 2021.
We will experience the iconic work of sculptor Henry Moore (1898-1986) against the backdrop of his stunning home and garden. A prolific and innovative artist, he produced 7,500 drawings, etchings, carvings, tapestry designs and hundreds of plaster maquettes.
After their London home was damaged in the Blitz, Henry and Irina Moore moved to Much Hadham in rural Hertfordshire, where they remained for the rest of their lives. Their home’ Hoglands’, which we will visit, contains books, works of art and interesting personal items, collected from around the world and is surrounded by a huge and beautiful garden, created by Irina.
(Please click on the blue print above to continue reading)
The outhouses surrounding their home were converted into studios and, as the scale of the artworks grew, along with the demand for them, more land was purchased for additional studios.
We can visit 6 different studios, filled with artworks, which have been preserved as they would have been when in use at various points throughout Henry Moore’s career. The latest addition, the summer house studio, was originally mounted on a turntable so that it could be rotated to change the views of the garden and to find the best conditions for drawing throughout the day. The splendid garden contains over 20 monumental bronzes.
We shall also visit the Aisled Barn, a 16th century building moved to the estate from a nearby farm, where the artist’s unique tapestries, commissioned from his own drawings, are displayed. We shall have the benefit of enthusiastic, knowledgeable guides who will accompany us. Light lunches are available in the visitor centre café,. Alternatively, there are two designed picnic areas.
Please note that we will be travelling in a smaller coach than normal (a 43- seater) as access to the Henry Moore Sculpture garden is via a narrow road and large coaches are not permitted.
