LONDON.- Christie's will present Henry Moore's seminal work King and Queen as a major highlight of its 20th/21st Century: London Evening Sale on 5 March 2026. Offered at auction for the first time, and having remained in the same private British collection for over seventy years, this celebrated work carries an estimate of £10,000,000-15,000,000. Conceived in 1952–53, the sculpture was first cast in an edition of four plus an artist's cast. This is the only remaining example still in private hands; all other casts are held in major public collections, including the Moa Museum of Art, Atami; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C.; the Middelheim Museum, Antwerp; and the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena. Two subsequent casts were produced specifically for the Tate Collection (1957) and The Henry Moore Foundation (1985).
King and Queen is one of Henry Moore's quintessential post-war sculptures, exploring themes of power, intimacy, and human presence. The work originated in Moore's studio in the early 1950s, during a period when he was increasingly working in bronze, and modelling directly in wax and plaster rather than relying on preparatory drawings. Unlike his earlier depictions of seated couples and family groups in the late 1940s, this sculpture arose spontaneously: while experimenting with a piece of modelling wax, Moore noticed a form that suggested a head. As he continued shaping it, horn-or crown-like elements appeared. From this intuitive process, two regal figures emerged – a king and a queen - timeless, archetypal characters born from imagination rather than premeditated design.
From his initial discovery, Moore developed two slender figures seated side by side. The King's head, first modelled in wax, is composed of sharp angles and hollowed planes, creating a striking hybrid that feels both human and animal-like. The Queen's head evolved more gradually through sustained experimentation, as Moore explored a range of forms: from naturalistic to solidly geometric, including variations that subtly echoed the King's features. The final design resolves into a refined, single, flowing line, suggesting a face of remarkable restraint, defined only by a small eye opening. The work draws on a rich array of historical and contemporary influences, from medieval Gothic sculpture to Ancient Egyptian double portraits, giving the figures a timeless, almost mythical presence.
Hands became a central expressive element in the evolution of King and Queen. In 1968, Moore explained that “hands, after the face, are the most obvious part of the human body for expressing emotion,” noting that this expressive potential had been largely absent in the earlier maquette he had produced. When work on the large-scale sculpture stalled, Moore turned to life modelling. His wife, Irina Moore, initially posed, followed briefly by their six-year-old daughter, Mary Moore. The artist's secretary later sat for refinements to the Queen's form, while the King's hands and feet were reportedly modelled on those of Philip Hendy, then Director of the National Gallery in London. The artist brought the bronze surface to life through subtle scoring and carefully worked textures, especially around the Queen's eye, where fine, radiating marks suggest eyelashes. These details highlight Moore's close attention to surface and finish as key expressive elements in the work.
Moore was conscious of the contrasts within the sculpture. Writing in 1955, he explained that details such as the hands and feet were made more realistic to highlight the tension between human grace and the idea of power in early forms of kingship, drawing a comparison with the work of medieval sculptors on Gothic cathedrals. In the finished work, the two figures sit at a slight angle, separated by a narrow gap that suggests both closeness and independence. The King's broader, more relaxed pose contrasts with the Queen's upright poise, lending each figure a distinct psychological presence.
Orlando Rock, Chairman, Christie's UK and Philip Harley, Senior Director, Modern British and Irish Art at Christie's: “Working increasingly in bronze in the early 1950s, Henry Moore moved away from preparatory drawings, embracing a direct modelling approach that allowed instinct and experimentation to guide the forms. In King and Queen, he navigates the boundary between abstraction and figuration, creating two regal, semi-abstract figures that sit side by side yet remain distinct, their forms subtly echoing one another to convey intimacy without contact. The sculpture combines naturalistic details - most notably the Queen's gently clasped hands, modelled on the artist's wife - with stylised forms, creating a presence that is at once human, otherworldly and archetypal. Drawing on a wide range of historical and contemporary references, this masterpiece synthesises human and animal, archaic and modern. As such, King and Queen stands as a defining work of British post-war art and a landmark achievement in Moore's career.”
Katharine Arnold, Vice-Chairman 20/21, Christie's: “We are honoured to present the only cast of King and Queen currently in private hands, offered at auction for the first time this March. King and Queen's appearance on the market marks an exceptionally rare opportunity for collectors to acquire a masterpiece by one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century, combining historical resonance with enduring visual power. This sculpture captures a pivotal moment in the artist's career, when his study of the human form achieved a striking balance of shape and space, resulting in figures that are both unmistakably modern and timeless.”
King and Queen will be on view to the public at Christie's London from 25 February 2026.
