Henry Moore
The Elephant Skull Etchings
5th June to September 7th 2025
The elephant skull, gifted to Henry Moore by the naturalist Sir Julian Huxley and his wife held significant prominence within Moore's collection of found objects in his studio. Positioned on a turntable, Moore initially created representational studies of the skull from various perspectives. However, he soon became captivated by its complexity and shifted his focus to the inner forms, examining small areas to highlight their landscape qualities. This portfolio of etchings was printed in an edition of 100 copies in 1969 -1970.
Adam’s Gallery is pleased to offer edition 83/100. All 28 etchings are available.
Plate I 'An elephant skull was recently added to Moore's maquette studio' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate II 'Holes, Caves and Column' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate III 'The holding arm of a 'Mother and Child' Sculpture' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate IV 'One finds forms of great strength contrasting with others of amazing delicacy' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate V 'With more complexity than there is in a human skull' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate VI 'Vertical and horizontal forms' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate VII 'Skull side view- Eye socket and tusk holes' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate VIII 'It became in my mind the arm of a reclining figure' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate IX 'Bones have great variety in section and subtle transition of one shape into another' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate X 'Bones have marvelous structural strength and hard tenseness of form' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XI 'Skull side view- jaw articulation' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XII 'Illusionist drawing-linear technique' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XIII 'Here I was searching for the skulls internal structure' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XIV 'Though still only line drawing i wanted to show the skulls massiveness' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XV 'Here the Etching Needle hardly touched the Plate' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XVI 'Rocks, Arch and Tunnel' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XVII 'The Elephant is the most remarkable living link we have with the Prehistoric World' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XVIII 'Head of a Cyclops' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XIX 'One form cupped and socketed into another' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XX 'Doric Columns and Underground Dungeons' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XXI 'I used the hairlike finesse of line to suggest Space and Mystery' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XXII 'Desert Sandhills Stretching to the Horizons' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XXIII 'It is the most impressive item in my 'Library' of Natural Forms' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XXIV 'View of a Female Back' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XXV 'Two Interlocking Figures' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XXVI 'On completing this plate I thought of Piranesi's series of 'Imaginary Prisons'' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XXVII 'View of a Male Torso' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed
Plate XXVIII 'Skull back view- Tunnels, Regressions, Dark Depths' Etching. Edition 83/100 Signed and Numbered in pencil by Henry Moore £1500 Unframed