Despite the fact that it was sandcast in 50 sections and then assembled in Germany before being brought on site in 1971,[3] the surface of the sculpture is smooth with little evidence of the joins.

Pei had the idea of a large work of art to sit in the Fifth Street public plaza that would pull together the space between his newly built Cleo Rogers Memorial Library, the Irwin Gardens by Henry A. Phillips (just east of the library)[12] and the First Christian Church by Eliel Saarinen (across the street).

[7][15] In September 1970, Xenia Irwin Miller, co-commissioner of Large Arch, presented a 24-minute color film on the work of Henry Moore which was produced by the Encyclopædia Britannica Education corporation.

[6] Also present at the dedication were Carl Weinhardt, director of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at the time, Kenneth D. B. Carruthers, who worked with I.M.

"[4][19] The arch is now featured on tours provided by the Columbus Area Visitor Center,[20] and before he died, Moore considered it to be one of his most important works.

With its anthropomorphic features, it is a soft organic contrast to the hard geometric shapes that dominate the Library and First Christian Church.

In the past, cars were allowed to drive around the arch and park temporarily for the library,[6] but this road was closed off shortly after to create a pedestrian plaza.

[23][24] A similar arch by Moore made from travertine is also on display in Kensington Gardens in London, England.

[25] Large Arch was approved by the Bartholomew County Library board[5] and paid for by Xenia and J. Irwin Miller at the suggestion of I.M.

[2][3][6] At some point between the sculpture’s installation in 1971 and 1985, a line of caulking was added around the base of Large Arch to prevent water pooling and freeze/thaw damage.

[27] An encircled capital letter "A" was spray painted in white on the south-east outer face of the sculpture,[27] which may have referred to the musical style of Anarcho-punk.

[28] Phoebe Weil, a well-known sculpture conservator from Saint Louis who pioneered the field in the 1970s,[29] removed as much paint as possible from Large Arch.