Moore has delved into the internal spaces of this form twofold, inviting the viewer to unfold the work and discover its different angles and aspects. The slim torso features a backbone or long plait, harking back to the human source of this abstract composition.
At the end of the 1970s the Hyatt Foundation in Rosemont, Illinois, purchased the entire edition of the nine maquettes from which this work derived. Later renamed Architectural Prize 1979 (LH 756), the maquettes were awarded as the Pritzker Architecture prize to living architects whose work consistently and significantly contributed to humanity and the built environment. The first recipient was Philip Johnson, a friend of Moore's, and later winners included Gordon Bunshaft, Sir Norman Foster, Frank Gehry and Oscar Niemeyer.
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