Jacob Epstein was born in America to Polish parents. In his early twenties, Epstein moved from New York to Paris and then London. He became a British citizen in 1911. Taking the human figure as the primary focus of his work, Epstein was among a group of pioneering sculptors who promoted carving directly from stone with regard to its natural form and grain. Epstein exhibited widely from the 1910s. A major retrospective exhibition of his work was held at the Tate Gallery in 1953. His sculptural work is represented in major collections worldwide.