Henry Moore, Stonehenge A 1973, lithograph in black presented to President Obama by British Prime Minister David Cameron. Image courtesy of The Henry Moore Foundation

ART NEWS: David Cameron gives President Obama rare signed print by Henry Moore as memento of his historic trip to Stonehenge

WASHINGTON DC– During his visit to the United States to further discussion on anti-terror push, British Prime Minister David Cameron presented President Obama with a Henry Moore print of Stonehenge signed by the artist. The gift serves as a memento of President‘s  historic trip to Stonehenge last September during the NATO Wales Summit 2014.The visit was the first by a serving United States President.

This rare black and white print by Henry Moore is one of an edition of forty and was donated by The Henry Moore Foundation for President Obama. The print is from a series of lithographs Moore produced in 1973 depicting Stonehenge, which was published as a deluxe album in 1974.

Moore developed a fascination for the Stonehenge when he visited it in 1921, his first year at the Royal College of Art. The material, size, and scale of these ancient standing stones had a considerable influence on Moore’s formative years as an artist, as evidenced in his later monumental sculptures.

Across the globe, art collectors are always on their toes, waiting for works by Henry Moore to come to the art market. Although this does not happen very often, but when it does, there is always a bidding war. In November, Reclining Figure on a Pedestal, a Bronze Sculpture by Henry Moore was auctioned at Bonhams in London. It was a fight to the end as art collectors competed to win this prized sculpture.

A celebrated sculptor, Moore is renowned for his monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art, including 66 on display in the US alone.

ART AUCTION NEWS| READ ALSO: Henry Moore’s Bronze Sculpture on Auction at Bonhams

It is fitting that Prime Minister David Cameron world gift this rare art print by Henry Moore, one of British’s most celebrated sculptor to President Obama. Moore has a long association with Downing Street. It all began in 1984 when Mrs. Thatcher’s request a small bronze reclining figure was borrowed from the Henry Moore Foundation to be displayed in the alcove of the main ground floor corridor in Number 10 leading to the Cabinet Room. Since then a sculpture or drawing by Henry Moore has been on display in that location ever since.

The visit of President Obama to the Stonehenge not only fulfill one of the items on his ‘bucket list’ but also solidifies his appreciation of global culture and history. David Cameron’s gift of the rare black and white print by Henry Moore in addition to bringing attention to this celebrated British artists and renowned sculptor, also shows how this ancient standing stones influenced Moore’s later monumental sculptures.

Henry Moore at Yorkshire Sculpture Park 2015

Henry Moore’s sculptures will be the focus of a major art exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park this year. The show which opens on March 7, 2015 ” takes a fresh approach to Moore’s work by considering his profound relationship with land, which was fundamental to his practice and fuelled his visual vocabulary. ”

Henry Moore, Large Two Forms 1969 bronze sited at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Photo: Jonty Wilde 201. Image courtesy of The Henry Moore Foundation

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