From the mid-1920s onwards, Henry Moore moved away from the ‘ideal’ style of ancient Greek sculpture in the way he worked. Instead, he wanted to learn from non-European cultures. Moore was interested in respecting the materials he used, rather than manipulating them to his own ends regardless of their nature. Moore saw Mesopotamian (western Asian) standing figures with clasped hands, in the British Museum. Their influence on both style and posture is clear in Girl.