§ Henry Moore O.M.,C.H (British 1898-1986) for Ascher Ltd. Three Standing Figures Scarf, circa 1944 serigraphy in nine colours, rayon, with 'Ascher / Made in England' label (84cm x 91cm (33in x 35.8in)) Footnote: Literature: Anita Feldman (ed.), Henry Moore Textiles , Lund Humphries, 2008, p.57 (another example illustrated). Established in 1942 by Czech émigrés Zika and Lida Ascher, Asher Ltd. sought to unite the complex worlds of fabrics, art and fashion. Throughout the 1940s they established a working relationship with many of the most prominent artists of the day, including British artists Moore, Hepworth, Sutherland, Nicholson, Piper, as well as international artists to include De Staäl, Calder, Derain, Cocteau and Picasso. The consequence of this relationship was a review of the definitions between art and industry, epitomised by the series of silk squares produced on a limited basis between 1944 and 1953. The Ascher’s limited each artist to design a scarf no larger than 36 x 36 inches (90 centimeters square) and were usually made using serigraphy, a type of screen printing. The initial creations were launched at the Britain Can Make It exhibition at the V&A in London in 1946, the first design exhibition after the end of the war, with the intention of energising post-war fashion with bright colours and bold designs. They became an instant hit, and Lida Ascher popularised Moore’s designs by presenting Three Standing Figures on the BBC in 1947. However, they soon became works of art more often framed than worn, an idea that was facilitated when the Lefevre Gallery launched an exhibition of the scarves in 1947, which was followed up with a world tour as far afield as San Francisco, Montevideo and Sydney. Historically they are of particular importance as they mark one of the first endeavours to merge fashion and art for a mass audience.