Barbara Hepworth

© Mayotte Magnus / National Portrait Gallery, London

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Barbara Hepworth

by Mayotte Magnus
modern bromide print from original negative, 1973
16 1/8 in. x 14 in. (410 mm x 357 mm) image size
Purchased, 2014
Photographs Collection
NPG x138817

Sitterback to top

  • Dame Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975), Sculptor; second wife of Ben Nicholson. Sitter in 31 portraits, Artist or producer of 1 portrait.

Artistback to top

  • Mayotte Magnus (1934-), Photographer; wife of Jorge ('J.S.') Lewinski. Artist or producer of 82 portraits, Sitter in 2 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This portrait was taken in Hepworth's St Ives home, where she sought shelter with her second husband, artist Ben Nicholson, during the Blitz. Sitting in an Egg chair, with its shape combining modernist ideals with natural forms, her petite figure is almost embraced by the curves of this cocoon. The photographer Mayotte Magnus remembers having spent many summers in St Ives; together with her husband the photographer Jorge Lewinski they visited Hepworth several times, made portraits of her and had long conversations about art and life.

Placesback to top

Events of 1973back to top

Current affairs

With the international oil crisis, and British coal miners 'working to rule' (a form of partial strike), Prime Minister Edward Heath implements the 'three day week' for industry in order to prolong fuel stocks.

Art and science

Pink Floyd release Dark Side of the Moon. The album opens with the sound of a heartbeat and instead of a set of individual songs, each track merges into the next to create a continuous piece of music. The LP was one of the most commercially successful albums of all time.

International

The Arab-Israeli conflict continues with the Yom Kippur War. Egypt and Syria invaded Israel followed shortly by Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The conflict lasted for just 18 days before a UN ceasefire was put into place. The events led to an increase in the price of Arab oil, causing economic problems in the West.

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