Two Figures (Menhirs)

The mysterious forms of Barbara Hepworth's Two Figures (Menhirs) recall upright human figures or ancient monoliths, like the menhirs erected by Neolithic civilizations near the artist's home on the southwestern coast of England. Hepworth incorporated the totemic aspect of these prehistoric monumets in works such as this, while also seeking what she described as "some absolute essence in sculptural terms giving the quality of human relationships." Here, she used her signature technique of piercing carved wood and highlighting the cavities with paint. Hepworth's fluid use of negative and positive space draws attention to both the surface and the interior forms.