David Hockney's Iconic Works: A Retrospective Through 12 Paintings
Beaux Arts Magazine showcases 12 notable pieces from David Hockney's expansive career, spanning from his 1955 portrait of his father to a self-portrait set to debut in 2025. Hockney honed his craft at Bradford School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London. His renowned works include the 1967 'A Bigger Splash', created after relocating to Los Angeles, and the 1972 'Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)'. In 2007, he produced 'Bigger Trees near Warter', a monumental piece comprising 50 canvases. Recently, his 2025 self-portrait faced censorship in Paris due to its depiction of smoking. Hockney, now nearly 88, remains innovative in his artistic endeavors.
Key facts
- David Hockney studied at Bradford School of Art in the mid-1950s and later at the Royal College of Art from 1959.
- His 1967 painting 'A Bigger Splash' is his most iconic work, created in Los Angeles.
- He refused to paint Queen Elizabeth II, preferring to depict friends like Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy.
- His 1972 'Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)' was painted before his breakup with Peter Schlesinger.
- The photocollage '4 Pearblossom Hwy' (1986) was commissioned by Vanity Fair.
- In 2007, he painted 'Bigger Trees near Warter', his largest work, a mosaic of 50 canvases.
- During the 2020 pandemic, he created iPad drawings in Normandy, including '27th April 2020, No. 1'.
- His 2025 self-portrait was banned from Paris metro ads due to the cigarette depicted.
- Hockney has referenced masters like Fra Angelico, Cézanne, Monet, Picasso, and van Gogh.
- He now lives in London and continues to paint at age 88.
Entities
Artists
- David Hockney
- Peter Schlesinger
- Christopher Isherwood
- Don Bachardy
- Paul Cézanne
- Claude Monet
- Pablo Picasso
- Vincent van Gogh
- Fra Angelico
- Edvard Munch
- Henri Matisse
- John Constable
- William Turner
- Gregor Von Rezzori
- Tony Richardson
- Claude Debussy
- Guy de Maupassant
- Jonathan Wilkinson
- Richard Schmidt
- Fabrice Gibert
- Prudence Cuming
Institutions
- Beaux Arts Magazine
- Bradford School of Art
- Royal College of Art
- Buckingham Palace
- Vanity Fair
- The David Hockney Foundation
- Tate
- Yageo Foundation Collection
- J. Paul Getty Museum
- Galerie Lelong & co
- MoMA
Locations
- Bradford
- London
- Los Angeles
- Yorkshire
- Normandy
- Aix-en-Provence
- Paris
- France
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
- United States
- England