Collections

Staff from the Henry Moore Institute oversee the administration and curatorial development of the sculpture collections of Leeds Museums and Galleries, the bulk of which is housed next door to the Institute, in Leeds Art Gallery. This gallery having been founded in 1888, the sculpture collections of Leeds Museums and Galleries concentrate on British sculpture from the second half of the 19th century onwards. Successive directors, including Phillip Hendy (1934-45) and Robert Rowe (1958-83), helped establish a reputation for the perceptive collecting of modern and contemporary artworks.

It was with the introduction of support from the Henry Moore Foundation, however, that Leeds really confirmed its status as an international centre for the study and appreciation of sculpture. The collection - which includes maquettes and models as well as finished sculptures - has doubled in size since 1982, and the Henry Moore Institute continues to invest heavily in bringing pieces to Leeds which help describe and promote the story of sculpture in Britain.

The sculpture collections of Leeds Museums and Galleries comprise around 700 sculptures, together with more than 350 works on paper by artists better known for their sculpture. Institute staff organise sculpture displays in Leeds Art Gallery, and also have responsibility for works displayed at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall - country houses on the outskirts of Leeds.

Click on the links heading this page to find out more about the different areas of collections work carried by the Henry Moore Institute.