An iconic set of sculptures are leaving their site in Snape Maltings whilst they go on temporary loan.

First installed in 1976 the Family of Man sculptures were designed and made by artist Barbara Hepworth, and were put in Snape Maltings a year after her death.

Ancestor I, Ancestor II, and Parent I, are collectively known as The Family of Man from 'Nine Figures on a Hill' by Ms Hepworth.

The figures are the property of the Fitzwilliam Museum and were placed on indefinite loan to Britten Pears Arts as a memorial to Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears at the request of the Hepworth Estate.

East Anglian Daily Times: Barbara Hepworth's Family of Man at Snape Maltings winter 2021Barbara Hepworth's Family of Man at Snape Maltings winter 2021 (Image: Shoel Stadlen courtesy Britten Pears Arts)

The sculptures are now going on a temporary loan to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam for its Hepworth exhibition, and are expected to return in early 2023.

While the space on the Hepworth Lawn is empty, Snape Maltings is inviting visiting families to share photos of themselves recreating the sculptures.