Art History Presentation

The Comparison of Henry Moore(Left) and John Walker(Right) 

I have decided to compare Henry Moore and John Walker.

 Henry Moore was an English sculptor and artist born in 1898, and known best for his bronze monumental sculpture public art. 

John Walker is an English Painter and Printmaker born in 1939.

 Grey Tube Shelter ,1940

Henry Moore

Watercolour, gouache, ink and chalk on paper

279 x 381 mm

At age 18 Moore volunteered for an army service, in which in 1917 he was injured in a gas attack during the Battle of Cambrai.

He then went on to study at Leeds College of Art continuing his education after the war where later in his life, he became a teacher at Chelsea School of Art in London.

This is when he started to create his commissioned drawings as a war artist, as during teaching, the College had to be evacuated to Northampton due to the Outbreak of World War Two where the War Artist Advisory Committee had offered Moore a job.

 Passing Bells, 1998

John Walker

Etching on Paper

252 x 203 mm

Walker was Influenced from his personal experience of seeing his dad injured and mentally scarred from the Battle of the Sommes War in 1916, as his father had difficulty of telling stories from this point, he couldn’t recollect the battle.

 A Tilbury Shelter Scene,  1941

Henry Moore

Ink, watercolour, crayon and gouache on paper

419 x 381 mm

Passing Bells, 1998
John Walker
Etching and aquatint on paper
262 x 202 mm

The two pieces in comparison have strong similarities as they are both conceptually focused on a War.

The colour pallets is limited creating a dull atmosphere, it almost makes the figures lifeless within the piece, reminiscent of a skeleton.

Mark Making – The mark making is scratchy and scribbly, creating a chaotic atmosphere, the line quality is rough suggestive to the conditions and horrific emotions of fear.

The compositions are different as Moore has captured a perspective of the entire room, as he was creating primary drawings and had experienced this himself. It creates a honest subject, reflecting an insight into the realistic war impacts.  The room feels full but so empty, reflecting the feeling on weakness not being able to control what is happening around him.

Whereas Walker has drew from different materials not the actual experience of seeing it himself, he’s created a personal subject, focusing on symbolism of the sheep skulls to suggest his fathers specific experience.

Walker has created Etchings, which is a process in comparison to using easier materials such as Ink, Watercolour, Crayon in which he used on Location.

I have recently presented this presentation to my peers within our Art History Seminar Groups, I feel I could have rehearsed this presentation in order to present this engaging my audience better, I will reflect upon this experience and in the future react upon my findings.