Last updated: 27 October 2026
Barbara Hepworth (1903 to 1975) was the Wakefield-born sculptor of pierced, rounded forms who made her home in St Ives. Here you will find our take on her work, where to see it and Hepworth books and prints from Tate.
Our take on Barbara Hepworth
Hepworth was born in Wakefield on 10 January 1903 and trained at Leeds School of Art and the Royal College of Art, according to Tate. She moved to Cornwall in 1939 and bought Trewyn Studio in St Ives in 1949.
Colour mattered to her more than people expected. “My colour has been accepted, but never understood,” she wrote in 1970, quoted by the Courtauld for its 2026 show Hepworth in Colour.
Her studio and garden are now the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, part of Tate St Ives.
Barbara Hepworth: the essentials
- Born in Wakefield on 10 January 1903; died in St Ives on 20 May 1975.
- Studied at Leeds School of Art and the Royal College of Art.
- Received the Grand Prix at the 1959 São Paulo Bienal; made a Dame in 1965.
- Her Single Form stands outside the United Nations in New York (1964).
Barbara Hepworth exhibitions
- Hepworth in Colour, The Courtauld, Somerset House, London, 12 June to 6 September 2026.
- Permanent: the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, Tate St Ives, Cornwall.
Where to buy Barbara Hepworth books and prints
Tate sells these:
- Barbara Hepworth: Writings and Conversations, £19.99: paperback, from the Tate shop.
- Made-to-order prints of her works, such as Porthmeor, are also on the Tate shop, priced by size at checkout.
Barbara Hepworth FAQs
Where can I see Barbara Hepworth’s sculpture?
At the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden in St Ives, part of Tate St Ives, and in Tate’s collection.
Where was Barbara Hepworth born?
In Wakefield, in 1903. She died in St Ives in 1975.
Is there a book of Barbara Hepworth’s own writing?
Yes. Barbara Hepworth: Writings and Conversations is £19.99 from the Tate shop.
More from CoolCuration
- Henry Moore at Kew Gardens review: sculpture by Hepworth’s Yorkshire contemporary.
- The Hepworth Wakefield clay kit: a make-at-home kit from the gallery named after her.
- Isokon and the Bauhaus in Britain: the book on modernists in 1930s Hampstead.
- National Art Pass: discounts on big shows across the UK.
Think we’re missing something, got something wrong, or want to be featured? Contact us.
Main image: Barbara Hepworth, 1970. Photo: Geoff Charles / National Library of Wales via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates and prices last checked: 27 October 2026.
No Comments.