How did World War II change the materials Henry Moore used for art?

World War II significantly impacted the materials available to Henry Moore, forcing a shift in his artistic practice. Due to a severe shortage of materials during the early years of the war, Moore was compelled to concentrate on small-scale sculptures and eventually shifted his focus exclusively to drawing.1

As the war progressed and he began accepting public commissions, such as the Madonna and Child, Moore utilized clay and terra-cotta to create numerous studies. These works were subsequently cast in bronze, a medium that became the primary material for much of his post-war sculpture. Even when working in bronze, Moore maintained his approach as a carver by building his forms in plaster over wire and wood armatures, which he would then cut and scrape with traditional carving tools. While he continued to work in wood and stone throughout his career, the post-war period was defined largely by his prolific use of bronze.12