Christopher Martin Memorial

The Christopher Martin Memorial is a reclining figure created between 1945 and 1946 by the sculptor Henry Moore. It was commissioned by Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst in memory of Christopher Martin, who was the first administrator of the arts at Dartington Hall. The sculpture is made from Horton stone and is carved from four large blocks, set on a large rectangular ashlar pedestal that features a chamfered plinth and an unmoulded cornice.

This work is considered an exceptional piece by Moore, depicting a clothed figure with stylised drapery that clings to its robust limbs. The small head is carved in low relief, with simply incised eyes and hair represented by tooling on the stone's surface. The style of the figure is reminiscent of Moore's 'Madonna and Child' from 1943-1944, located at St Matthews Church in Northampton, while also reflecting the primitive compactness and simplicity found in his earlier works, such as the 1929 'Reclining Figure'.

This memorial is one of Moore's first commissions and is beautifully situated in the gardens of Dartington Hall, facing a line of Spanish chestnuts with its back to Dartington Hall and the surrounding landscape. Christopher Martin was a personal friend of Moore's, and under the patronage of Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, Dartington Hall served as an important place for young artists to learn in the 1930s.