David Hockney

Nicholas Wilder Gallery, Los Angles
Acquired by the present owner from the above

London, Tate Gallery, David Hockney, Travels with Pen, Pencil and Ink, July - August 1980, cat. no. 74, n.p., illustrated in color
Beadleston Gallery, David Hockney in America, November - December 1983, no. 22

Peter Webb, Portrait of David Hockney, New York, 1988, no. 116, n.p., illustrated in color
Exh. Cat., London, Royal Academy of Arts, David Hockney: A Drawing Retrospective, 1995, fig. 45, p. 184, illustrated

This work is in very good condition overall. The surface is bright and clean. There are artist’s pinholes in at the corners of the sheet and evidence of a few light, scattered colored pencil smudges, which appear to be inherent to the artist’s working method. There is a minor crease at the bottom left corner. The sheet is hinged verso to the matte along the top edge. Framed under Plexiglas.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Full of great expectations, David Hockney arranged for a six month visit to California in 1963. Raised in northern England and trained as a draftsman, the California landscape inspired him and became fully embedded in his oeuvre. Before moving to California, he had idealized the culture - the people, the climate, the architecture - and upon arrival, he was not disappointed. He remembers, "as I flew over San Bernardino and looked down and saw the swimming pools and the houses and everything and the sun, I was more thrilled than I have ever been arriving at any other city." ('David Hockney: An Interview', in Exh. Cat., London, The Whitechapel Art Gallery, David Hockney, Paintings, Prints and Drawings 1960-1970, 1970, p. 11).

Palm Reflected in Pool, Arizona is a remarkably rendered drawing representing the icons and ideals Hockney found in Southern California.  A vacant, recreational landscape opens the viewer's eyes and enlivens one's imagination. With no figures, the large palm is the only organic element and becomes the focal point for the drawing. One's eyes flicker from the pool deck to the water and back as forms are mimicked in the reflection and the airy, yellow space on the upper left balances the deep expanse of cool blues and greens on the lower right. As the palms rise off the sheet and the tree's reflection extends to the base of the pool, all drawn elements become grounded by its joint composition. The varying hatching and cross-hatching of the palms draw the eye to more natural elements of the landscape. At its base, the two empty lounge chairs and their reflected orange forms are a perfect complement to the deep blue hues of the pool.  This scene, expectant of sunbathers and swimmers, illustrates Hockney's journey as he discovers his paradise and builds his American dream.