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Dame Barbara Hepworth

(1903-1975), Sculptor; second wife of Ben Nicholson

Sitter in 28 portraits
Artist of 1 portrait
Born and brought up in Wakefield in Yorkshire, Hepworth went from Leeds School of Art to the Royal College of Art in 1921. She won a travel scholarship in 1924 to Italy, where she married the sculptor John Skeaping. She joined the Seven and Five Society in 1931, and was a member of the avant-garde art groups Abstraction-Creation and Unit One. In common with Henry Moore and her second husband the artist Ben Nicholson, Hepworth's work achieved international status. During her lifetime, retrospective exhibitions were held at the Rijksmuseum (1965) and Tate Gallery (1968). Her studio in St Ives, Cornwall is now a museum. She was made a Dame in 1965.

Watch a film clip on the sculptor from the BBC Archive in the Media section below

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1933 (St Rémy - self-portrait with Barbara Hepworth), by Ben Nicholson - NPG 5591

1933 (St Rémy - self-portrait with Barbara Hepworth)

by Ben Nicholson
oil on canvas, 1933
NPG 5591

Barbara Hepworth, by Barbara Hepworth - NPG 5919

Barbara Hepworth

by Barbara Hepworth
oil and pencil on board, 1950
On display in Room 31 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 5919

Barbara Hepworth, by Lord Snowdon - NPG P797(20)

Barbara Hepworth

by Lord Snowdon
bromide print, 26 February 1964
NPG P797(20)

Barbara Hepworth, by Lord Snowdon - NPG P1951

Barbara Hepworth

by Lord Snowdon
gelatin silver print, 26 February 1964
NPG P1951

Barbara Hepworth, by John Hedgecoe - NPG P773

Barbara Hepworth

by John Hedgecoe
cibachrome print, 1970
NPG P773

Barbara Hepworth, by Peter Keen - NPG x36003

Barbara Hepworth

by Peter Keen
glossy unglazed bromide print, mid 1950s
NPG x36003

Barbara Hepworth, by Peter Keen - NPG x35116

Barbara Hepworth

by Peter Keen
vintage bromide print, mid 1950s
NPG x35116

Barbara Hepworth, by Peter Keen - NPG x88862

Barbara Hepworth

by Peter Keen
bromide print, late 1950s
NPG x88862

Barbara Hepworth at work on the armature of a sculpture, by Ida Kar - NPG x88502

Barbara Hepworth at work on the armature of a sculpture

by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1961
NPG x88502

Barbara Hepworth with her cat Nicholas and her sculpture 'Reclining Form (Rosewall)', by Ida Kar - NPG x88512

Barbara Hepworth with her cat Nicholas and her sculpture 'Reclining Form (Rosewall)'

by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1961
NPG x88512

Barbara Hepworth at work on the armature of a sculpture, by Ida Kar - NPG x88513

Barbara Hepworth at work on the armature of a sculpture

by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1961
NPG x88513

Barbara Hepworth at work on the armature of a sculpture, by Ida Kar - NPG x88517

Barbara Hepworth at work on the armature of a sculpture

by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1961
NPG x88517

Barbara Hepworth, by Ida Kar - NPG x88514

Barbara Hepworth

by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1961
NPG x88514

Barbara Hepworth, by Ida Kar - NPG x88515

Barbara Hepworth

by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1961
NPG x88515

Barbara Hepworth, by Ida Kar - NPG x88516

Barbara Hepworth

by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1961
NPG x88516

Barbara Hepworth, by Crispin Eurich - NPG x26706

Barbara Hepworth

by Crispin Eurich
bromide print, 1961
NPG x26706

Barbara Hepworth with her cat Nicholas and her sculpture 'Reclining Form (Rosewall)', by Ida Kar - NPG x31619

Barbara Hepworth with her cat Nicholas and her sculpture 'Reclining Form (Rosewall)'

by Ida Kar
2 1/4 inch square film negative, 1961
NPG x31619

Barbara Hepworth, by Cornel Lucas - NPG x23305

Barbara Hepworth

by Cornel Lucas
bromide print, 1963
NPG x23305

Barbara Hepworth, by Walter Bird - NPG x165779

Barbara Hepworth

by Walter Bird
bromide print on card mount, 14 October 1965
NPG x165779

Barbara Hepworth, by Crispin Eurich - NPG x26705

Barbara Hepworth

by Crispin Eurich
bromide print, late 1960s
NPG x26705

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