How did Constantin Brancusi and Cubism influence Henry Moore’s early sculpture?

Following his graduation from the Royal College of Art in 1924, Henry Moore’s early work began to reflect an awareness of the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi and the Cubist sculptors.1

While these influences were present in his early carvings, they were not the sole or primary drivers of his artistic development during that period. Moore’s work at the time was more significantly shaped by his fascination with ancient Mexican stone carving, particularly a plaster cast of a Mayan Chac Mool he encountered at the Trocadero Museum in Paris.1

Moore drew upon the power, sensitivity, and three-dimensional depth he observed in these ancient forms to move away from conventional standards of beauty. While he acknowledged the stylistic contributions of Brancusi and the Cubists, he ultimately sought to imbue his own sculpture with a more human, earthy, and rhythmic quality, which became the foundation for his lifelong exploration of the reclining female figure.1