Barbara Hepworth and the Moon

3rd April 2026

To mark the current lunar exploration project, we are offering

Barbara Hepworth’s iconic print Moon Play

Barbara Hepworth had long been interested in space (in both respects), and with the heightened fascination for all things moon-related in the late 1960s and early 70s, she allowed herself to delve into this further. When the first soft landing of an unmanned craft on the surface of the moon was achieved in 1966, it marked the start of a competitive lunar race between USA and Russia. In a landmark voyage by Apollo 11 (note how many previous missions had already been run), the first crewed mission was able to land, and Neil Armstrong – on 20 July 1969 – was the first human ever to set foot on the moon. Credit must be given to the tortoises who, the previous year, had circumnavigated the moon in a Russian spacecraft, Zond 5, and returned to Earth safely, giving confidence to the planning team that it was possible for humans too.

Hepworth was by this stage, quite late in her career, an established sculptor and printmaker. Her visual language of circles, curves, elipses and arcs so often suggests celestial and lunar movement. While the placing of her shapes in generous voids echoes the vastness of the cosmos.

For further information about this print, please click here