Within the central, highly textured portion of the sculpture is the abstract form of a figure, which could be interpreted as being the figure of Christ ascending into heaven. Hepworth used the exterior portion of this sculpture in another work of 1958, Cantate Domino a much more open piece and slightly larger than this. During the late 1950s Hepworth experienced a great surge in her career. She was awarded a CBE in 1958, the year in which she made Ascending Form (Gloria). The following year she won the Grand Prix at the Sao Paulo Bienal, representing Britain.