Lot 23
  • 23

David Hockney

Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 EUR
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Description

  • David Hockney
  • Arty Sutton, 1972
  • colour crayons and pastel on paper
    signed with initials, titled and dated Arty Sutton 853 seventh Ave may-june 1972 DH
  • 35,5 x 28 cm; 14 x 11 in.

Provenance

Private collection, Italy
Sale: Christie's London, Post-War Day Sale, 7 February 2002, lot 569
Collection Jacques Grange, Paris

Condition

The overall tonality is slightly lighter and the green is a bit brighter than in the catalogue illustration. Under close inspection, there are faint stains along the right edge by the upper corner visible in the catalogue illustration. When unframed, the sheet is mounted to the cardboard with two pieces of tape along the upper edge. On the back, there are traces of a previous mounting on the reverse of the sheet. The edges present minor discoloration only visible when unframed. This work is in very good condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

"An art world that says, 'You can't paint portraits anymore' is nonsense, really."

David Hockney in The New York Times, 5 July 2016

In 1974, on the occasion of David Hockney's first retrospective exhibition in Paris at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Pierre Restany described him as "the master of the supple painted portrait" (Pierre Restany, exh. cat. P.13). The years 1973-1975 mark a veritable renewal in David Hockney's career and are eminently interesting for the artist's production of portraits. These works are real pieces of life, fragments of a personal diary. Caught between contemplation, silence and introspection, they release a feeling of serenity, intimacy and warmth. Each of the artist's portraits is like a snapshot of his private moments with friends. This complicity between the painter and his model is so strong that in his drawings the artist's own portrait seems to emerge implicitly, with singular sharpness. These works from the 1970s reveal a fascinating virtuosity, still present today in the exhibition devoted to the artist in London, Venice and Bilbao, 82 portraits and 1 still life. The portrait of Arty Sutton from the Jacques Grange collection shows all the refinement of David Hockney's vision who paints his friends as he sees them, far from any idea of the tradition of intensified realism.