Hepworth's sculpture saved for UK after appeal

A rare wooden carving by the renowned abstract sculptor Barbara Hepworth, regarded as one of the most important artists of the 20th century, has been saved for the nation after a successful appeal to raise £3.8m.

- Caroline Davies

Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red, created in 1943, marked a breakthrough in Hepworth's career. One of only a handful of wooden carvings made by her during the 1940s, it is one of the first major such works she made using strings.

In private ownership and rarely seen by the public, the carving can now be acquired as part of the UK's national collection to go on permanent public display at the Hepworth Wakefield, in Hepworth's home town in West Yorkshire.