Barbara Hepworth’s rare sculpture to secure for first-ever public display

A rare sculpture by Yorkshire-born artist Barbara Hepworth is set to be displayed for the very first time as £3.8 million was raised successfully, preventing it from leaving the UK.

The breathtaking artwork, titled Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red was created in 1943 by one of the most renowned artists of the 20th century.

It is one of the first major such works Hepworth made using the strings and is a blend of painted wood and innovative strings.

Last year, it was auctioned by Christies and a temporary export ban was placed on the piece, thwarting it from leaving the UK and giving galleries permission to acquire it.

In response, Art museum The Hepworth Wakefield and national charity Art Fund launched an appeal to purchase the piece to publicly display the artwork in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, the birthplace of the artist.

The major contribution of £1.89m came from the National Lottery Heritage Fund along with over 2800 personal public donations. A pledge of £750,000 was given by the Art Fund.

Despite having been in private ownership, the carving has rarely been seen for public display. This is the first time that the rare piece of work will permanently be displayed on Hepworth Wakefield.

Being a pioneer of abstract sculpture, Hepworth survived the horrors of WWII in London. She had moved to Carbis Bay in St Ives with her four children and painter husband, Ben Nicholson.

While escaping, she had brought only one piece with her to St Ives, the model for Sculpture with Colour, and completed in 1943.