Draped Woman

Nearly twice life-size, this  semi-nude, idealised female figure dates from c. 1959. It was commissioned as part of the London County Council’s Patronage of the Arts programme in c. 1957-58, as a visual amenity in compensation for  a major highway development scheme, which took land from St Peter’s Church, Hammersmith, for the Great West Road.

This important modernist sculpture was part of a post war programme aiming to enhance people’s lives and improve the aesthetic of their environment by commissioning sculpture for the public realm. The weight of the figure is cantilevered so that it appears almost as though it is floating, Vogel’s intention being to link the calm of the church and square with the fast pace of the modern world.

The sculpture was recently restored by Sally Strachey Conservation thanks to the Heritage of London Trust.

Location: North Verbena Gardens, adjacent to St Peter’s Church, Great West Road, Hammersmith, London, W6