Epstein often worked in two distinct modes: carving in stone and executing descriptive portraits in bronze. His 1913 work, Rock Drill, incorporated a real machine purchased from a Welsh quarry, a choice that infuriated contemporary critics who questioned whether industrial machinery could be considered art. Following the outbreak of the First World War, he dismantled the piece, amputating the figure at the waist and removing an arm to create a mutilated bronze torso. His alabaster sculpture Elemental, created in 1932, further illustrates his unique style through its deliberately unfinished state, where chisel and file marks remain visible on the surface.

Throughout his career, Epstein faced significant hostility, which was occasionally exacerbated by antisemitism. Despite this, he remained a prolific artist who worked until his dying day. He was a generous figure who purchased the first piece of art Henry Moore ever sold, though he often relied on his portrait commissions to maintain his lifestyle. His larger carvings, including Adam, Jacob and the Angel, and Lazarus, remain powerful examples of his fearless approach to form and material.