Window on the Ear: Barbara Hepworth and the Fenestration Series of Drawings

Abstract

In November 1943, one of Barbara Hepworth’s daughters (Sarah, one of triplets) developed osteomyelitis of the thigh. This necessitated operation and subsequent treatment at the Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Centre in Exeter by Mr. Norman Capener. Artist and surgeon subsequently became friends and she encouraged his activities as a ‘weekend sculptor’. At his invitation she came to the hospital in November 1947 watching him in out-patients but more particularly in the operating theatre; other visits to London and Exeter followed. These studies of orthopaedic procedures form the great majority of Hepworth’s sixty-plus hospital drawings/paintings but there is also a small group of six paintings involving an operation on the ear made in April and May 1948. The link between these two and the introduction to the ear surgeon, Mr Garnett Passe, is unclear.Five of the paintings of the ear operation are still in circulation but there is also a sketchbook containing no fewer than 28 drawings. A selection of the sketches together with the fenestration series of paintings will be discussed and also the relationship with the surgeon, Mr Garnett Passe.

The surgical art of Barbara Hepworth and the Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams foundation

“…In 1945, when Garnett Passe was demobilized, he returned to London and at that time was the only surgeon in England who could perform the Lempert One‐Stage Fenestration Procedure. He rapidly built up an enormous practice at the London Clinic in Harley Street and according to Booth 2 went on to perform 1000 such procedures. He published a report in 1949 of the results of 500 operations 3 .…”

“…The titles and location of the six paintings that constitute the Fenestration Series are set out in Table 1 (courtesy of the late J. Booth) where an excellent description of the Fenestration Series of paintings can be found in his paper: Window of the Ear, Barbara Hepworth and Fenestration Series of Drawings. 2 The Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Foundation holds the first of the series 'The Beginning' (Fig. 3) which was bequeathed to it by Barbara Williams, Garnett Passe's widow.…”

Garnett Passe and the tonsillectomy gag

“…Dr John Booth has written much more extensively about the surgical drawings by Hepworth of Passe operating, particularly of him performing the fenestration operation 3 . Dr Kane has also written a full account of ‘The surgical art of the sculptor Barbara Hepworth’ published in Studio International 4 …”

Barbara Hepworth and The Tonsillectomy

“…1 The details surrounding the painting of The Tonsillectomy are unknown. There are six fenestration paintings and a notebook, held by the Science Museum in London, which contains 28 sketches and drawings.…”

“…There is an excellent description of the Fenestration Series of paintings in the late John Booth's article ‘Window on the ear. Barbara Hepworth and the Fenestration Series of drawings’ 1 …”