The Arch 1979–1980

The Arch 1979–1980 (LH 503c)^[1] is a large stone sculpture by Henry Moore located in Kensington Gardens, London.^[2] It was given to the park by Moore in 1980.

The Arch 1979–1980
Kensington Gardens, May 2014
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Artist	Henry Moore
Year	1979–1980
Catalogue	LH 503c
Type	Stone sculpture
Medium	Travertine
Dimensions	580 cm × 455 cm × 355 cm (230 in × 179 in × 140 in)
Location	Kensington Gardens, London
Coordinates	51°30′26.99″N 0°10′23.31″W

Comment of the artist

In a 1980 interview Moore said that "After the 1978 exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London, in which several large pieces were located in Kensington Gardens, there was a request for me to leave a sculpture there permanently, which I agreed to do. I thought the Large Arch was very naturally sited, particularly as it could be seen reflected in the water from across the lake. During the exhibition, many people believed the sculpture to be made of marble, but in fact it was a fibreglass exhibition cast made originally for my exhibition at the Forte di Belvedere in Florence (1963), because of the difficulty of getting a very heavy bronze or marble on to the site. Therefore, so that it could be left as a permanent sculpture in Kensington Gardens, I produced a version in travertine marble which is a very lasting material."^[3]

Restoration

The Arch was found to be unstable in 1996, and was subsequently dismantled and placed into storage. It was restored and replaced in its original location in 2012. ^[2]

See also

• List of sculptures by Henry Moore

References

1. "The Arch". henry-moore.org. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022.
2. "The Arch by Henry Moore". Royal Parks. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
3. HM/DM recording 1980. Extracts from conversations with the artist recorded by David Mitchinson, Much Hadham, 1980. Published in Henry Moore Sculpture, with comments by the artist, Macmillan London Ltd, 1981.