Visitors to Worcester’s gardens can now enjoy a striking sculpture in addition to the usual flora and fauna.

Henry Moore’s Reclining Figure (1982) was installed in March outside the Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre, enjoying an enviable position beside the lake. The sculpture is a key example of Moore’s lifelong interest in the form of the reclining figure and is on loan from the Henry Moore Foundation until 2025 courtesy of the Barrie and Deedee Wigmore Foundation.

Born to a working-class family in Castleford – in Worcester College’s outreach link region – Henry Moore (1898-1986) rose to be a global star within his own lifetime. Often cited as one of the most important British artists of the twentieth century, Moore produced more than 10,000 artworks including drawings, tapestries and textiles, but he is most well-known for his monumental semi-abstract bronze sculptures. Worcester’s Reclining Figure was made when Moore was 84, but his interest in this theme stretched back many decades.

Moore’s bronzes can be seen all over the world and Worcester now joins sites including St Paul’s Cathedral, Berlin’s Tiergarten and the United Nations HQ in New York with the only installation in Oxford. The College also owns a small bronze, Maquette for Mother and Child (1952), which is currently on loan to the Wellcome Collection for their exhibition ‘Milk’ until 10 September 2023.

The gardens and grounds are open free of charge seven days a week to University members, alumni and local residents. Please see our visiting webpages for more information.

READ MORE ON OUR HENRY MOORE PAGE