What Is This Picasso
What Is This Picasso
Signed Print
David Hockney
£2,650-£4,000Value Indicator
$5,500-$8,500 Value Indicator
$4,800-$7,500 Value Indicator
¥25,000-¥40,000 Value Indicator
€3,050-€4,600 Value Indicator
$27,000-$40,000 Value Indicator
¥490,000-¥750,000 Value Indicator
$3,450-$5,000 Value Indicator
AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
There aren't enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.
Medium: Intaglio
Edition size: 200
Year: 1976
Size: H 46cm x W 52cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Location | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2024 | Sotheby's New York | United States | |||
| February 2024 | Rago | United States | |||
| March 2018 | Bonhams Knightsbridge | United Kingdom | |||
| March 2018 | Forum Auctions London | United Kingdom | |||
| June 2015 | Bonhams New Bond Street | United Kingdom | |||
| May 2013 | Christie's New York | United States | |||
| February 2012 | Christie's London | United Kingdom |
Meaning & Analysis
Featuring a curtain, a still life of flowers, a grid like pattern and clouds of blue ink, this work from David Hockney’s The Blue Guitar series is in keeping with much of the subject matter and style throughout the portfolio. Here though, Hockney has also decided to include a copy of Picasso's head of Dora Maar, in green ink – a nod, along with the title, to the great painter who sparked Wallace Stevens’s imagination with his 1903 work The Old Guitarist. Stevens went on to write ‘The Blue Guitar’ in 1937, a book length poem which Hockney then came across in 1976 while on holiday on Fire Island. He proceeded to make the 20 etchings that make up this portfolio which later became a book. While the works are interesting for their subject matter, and their intention to not illustrate but merely accompany the poem, they are also notable for their technique which saw hockney putting new skills to work. In 1973 he had been invited to Paris to create a print on the occasion of Picasso’s death. There he worked closely with Aldo Crommelynck who had been Picasso’s preferred master printer and learned the sugar lift aquatint technique which allowed him to bring subtle variations of colour to his previously monochrome etchings.
British-born artist David Hockney is a kaleidoscopic force in the art world. Born in 1937, Hockney's vibrant palette and innovative techniques have left an indelible mark on contemporary art. A pioneer of the British Pop Art movement in the 1960s, he seamlessly transitioned through various styles, from photo collages to vivid landscapes. Renowned for his exploration of light and space, Hockney's versatility extends to painting, printmaking, photography, and stage design. A captivating storyteller, his works often capture the essence of modern life with a playful yet profound touch. With a career spanning decades, Hockney remains an enduring visionary in the ever-evolving art world.
