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Pelagos

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description Pelagos Overview

Pelagos is a 1946 sculpture by Barbara Hepworth held in the collection of the Tate. The work is carved from painted wood and fitted with taut strings that suggest internal volume and the curve of an enclosing form. Its title means "sea" in Greek, and it is associated with the coastline of Cornwall, where Hepworth lived and worked. The piece reflects her effort to express a sense of place and interior space through abstract sculpture.

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What does the title of Barbara Hepworth's Pelagos mean?

The title of Barbara Hepworth's 1946 sculpture Pelagos translates to "sea" in Greek. The piece was inspired by the coastal landscape of Carbis Bay in Cornwall, which Hepworth could view from her studio.

What materials are used in Barbara Hepworth's Pelagos?

Pelagos is primarily carved from painted wood and features taut strings threaded through the interior. Hepworth used these strings to suggest internal volume and the curve of an enclosing form without filling the negative space.

Where is Barbara Hepworth's Pelagos sculpture displayed?

Pelagos is currently held in the collection of the Tate gallery in the United Kingdom. The museum acquired the sculpture in the mid-20th century and it remains one of Hepworth's most celebrated post-war works.

Why did Barbara Hepworth use strings in her sculptures like Pelagos?

Barbara Hepworth utilized taut strings in sculptures like Pelagos to create tension and define internal volumes, a technique partly inspired by mathematical models she saw at Oxford. In Pelagos, the strings draw the eye inward, emphasizing the relationship between the sculptural form and the surrounding empty space.

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