This book is an indispensable introduction to the life and work of Barbara Hepworth, whose sculptures expanded the possibilities for art within modern society.

Barbara Hepworth (1903–75) was a leading figure in modern sculpture during the twentieth century, whose prolific career spanned over five decades and bore witness to a period of great political and social change. Inspired by the natural world, Hepworth’s sculptures reflect her high regard for the landscape, but also her deep engagement with art’s civic function and its relationship to our social environment.

This concise book is the perfect introduction to Hepworth’s remarkable life and work. Contextualising her career from her beginnings in London, carving with wood and stone, to her relocation in Cornwall, and the pivotal point when she turned to metal casting, and started creating the monumental sculptures which cemented her international reputation, it celebrates the mastery and determination of an extraordinary artist whose work continues to inspire today.

Katy Norris is Exhibitions and Displays Curator at Tate St Ives, a researcher and writer specialising in women artists, feminism and social reform movements in Britain during the early twentieth century.