David Hockney is a significant name in the world of contemporary art, and the 87-year-old artist is currently being celebrated for his decades-spanning work in the largest-ever exhibit at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. With more than 400 works of the artist on display in Paris — David Hockney 25 — is among the biggest exhibitions of the year and is open till August 31. As the extensive retrospective celebrates the famous artist’s works, we take a look at his distinctive artistic journey and the most expensive David Hockney paintings ever sold.
At the ongoing Paris showcase, fans of contemporary art get a chance to witness Hockney’s most popular works spanning from 1955 to 2025. On display are some of Hockney’s most exquisite artworks, portraying varied techniques, from oil and acrylic paintings to charcoal drawings and digital works. Some of the artworks on display include paintings that have fetched millions in auctions.
Known for capturing unique perspectives in his paintings and the use of vibrant colour, Hockney’s depictions translate everyday life with an extraordinary flair. Besides capturing the eye of art connoisseurs, they have also earned the admiration of celebrity art collectors like Brad Pitt. Before we delve into the most expensive David Hockney paintings ever sold, let us get to know more about the British artist and how he burst onto the art scene.
The rise of David Hockney as a prominent figure in the art world
It was the 1960s when Hockney became a prominent figure in the British Pop Art movement. His work mainly explored modern ideas of consumerism and pop culture. A year after graduating from the Royal College of Art, David Hockney presented his first solo exhibition in 1963. Some of his earliest works include Portrait of My Father, which he painted in 1955 when he was just 18. Besides this, Hockney’s etchings and lithographs from the early 1960s also make up a significant facet of his artistic repertoire. For those who recognise him for his distinctive depiction of swimming pools in his artworks, it’s worth knowing how his fascination with pools began after arriving in Los Angeles and seeing them largely in the homes of art collectors. California Art Collector was his first pool painting from 1964.
Regarded as one of the greatest living contemporary artists, David Hockney has inspired young artists to incorporate a variety of media in their works, as well as championed the usage of bold colours and perspective to enhance their storytelling. As the artist enjoys his largest ever showcase in Paris, here’s a look at some of the most expensive David Hockney paintings that made the headlines.
The most expensive David Hockney paintings ever sold
Portrait Of An Artist (Pool With Two Figures)
Price: USD 90.3 million
In 2018, Hockney’s Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), 1972, was auctioned at Christie’s for a record-breaking USD 90.3 million, making him the world’s most expensive living artist. Arguably, one of his most famous works, the painting has been regarded as near perfect by art connoisseurs. The intriguing two male subjects in the painting and the colour palette that encapsulates the Californian summer make the painting a visual delight. Whilst being easy on the eyes with its colour scheme, the painting is thematically heavy with its undertones that capture the two figures in separate spaces, suggesting an emotional distance, possibly also a sense of disconnection. It has been regarded as one of Hockney’s most meaningful artworks in terms of exploring the human condition and its complexities. An intriguing behind-the-scenes fact about this painting is that Hockney worked on it 18 hours a day for two weeks to complete this incredible piece.
Nichols Canyon (1980)
Price: USD 41 million
Several paintings of Hockney capture his time in California, and Nichols Canyon is among those pieces that bring the dynamic Los Angeles landscape to life with its bold colours. The acrylic on canvas artwork depicts the winding roads of Nichols Canyon, while the vivid brushwork pays homage to the vibrant Southern Californian lifestyle. It also portrays beautiful contrasts between the urban and natural environments while providing an aerial view that further makes it an engaging painting. Considering how the Los Angeles landscape has been an iconic muse for many of Hockney’s works, it’s no surprise that Nichols Canyon is among his most famous artworks and even fetched a whopping USD 41 million at the Phillips auction in 2020.
Henry Geldzahler and Christopher Scott
Price: USD 49.5 million
For those familiar with David Hockney’s oeuvre, this masterpiece needs no introduction. The painting features his closest friend, Henry Geldzahler – the legendary curator of the New York art world – seated at the centre amid the backdrop of the bustling city’s skyscrapers. In keeping with Hockney’s classic gaze of capturing two distinct figures in a shared space, the other personality seen in this painting is Christopher Scott. Among the series of his double portraits, this 1969 artwork instantly pulls the viewer into the urban setup, complete with its pink sofa and the glass-topped coffee table. The two intriguing subjects and their dynamics bring a performative quality to the artwork. One of his most expensive paintings, the stunning piece, famously fetched USD 49.5 million at the Christie’s auction in London in 2019.
Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Monica
Price: USD 28.5 million
At a 2018 Sotheby’s auction, yet another David Hockney painting made a jaw-dropping sale as his 1990 artwork Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Monica fetched USD 28.5 million. An homage to California’s hilly landscape, the painting holds a personal connection with the artist since it depicts the route he travelled from his Hollywood Hills house to his Santa Monica studio. Dubbed as “Wagner drive”, Hockney famously gave his daily route this moniker because he listened to opera music by Richard Wagner along the way. Evidently, the painting hints at Hockney’s joyous journey through this route, while also vividly capturing the beauty of Santa Monica Bay and the picturesque mountain views.
The Splash
Price: USD 29.8 million
Considered to be an iconic pop art painting, The Splash, while self-explanatory when it comes to its name, is a visual treat thanks to Hockney’s skilful composition of a sun-drenched swimming pool disturbed by a single moment of splash. Forever immortalising the specific moment as water cascades amid a splash in a still swimming pool, the artist beautifully plays on the ideas of time and stillness. A sister painting to his larger artwork A Bigger Splash, and also a companion to the much smaller The Little Splash, this artwork is a part of a series where Hockney creates an immersive moment with signature pop art techniques of using bright colours and bold shapes. True to its vibe of making a splash, the painting did become the centre piece at the 2020 Sotheby’s auction, earning a staggering USD 29.8 million.
Lawn being sprinkled
Price: USD 28.59 million
Drawn in the same year as his other iconic work, A Bigger Splash, this painting by Hockney dramatises the well-manicured lawns of Californian homes. Once again displaying his penchant for capturing water and light in the most whimsical manner, the painting uplifts a mundane moment from everyday life and infuses it with a calm but joyful energy. The clear blue sky and the stillness in the water sprinklers provide a feeling of tranquillity, inviting the viewer into a serene view of suburban California. In May 2024, this acrylic on canvas painting from 1967 fetched a whopping USD 28.59 million at a Christie’s auction.
Sur la Terrasse
Price: USD 29.5 million
A key painting from Hockney’s oeuvre, this painting is named in French “Sur la Terrasse”, meaning “On the terrace”, and captures some autobiographical aspects of the artist’s life. Mainly, it features his former partner Peter Schlesinger, whom he met in 1966. While Schlesinger became the subject of several paintings by Hockney, this one stands out because it is widely considered the last depiction of Schlesinger during their time together before parting ways. The painting captures Schelsinger showing his back to the viewer, depicting a sense of melancholy and longing. It is based on a series of photographs that were taken on the balcony of the former couple’s room at the Hôtel de la Mamounia in Marrakesh. Interpreted as farewell, with the subject looking away while the artist is a spectator, the painting’s emotional display of solitude and distance in a relationship makes it a masterpiece. After being held in a private collection for years, in 2019 the painting was auctioned by Christie’s and fetched USD 29.5 million.
Early Morning, Sainte-Maxime
Price: USD 27.3 million
This 1969 painting by Hockney depicts a surreal view of a sunrise by the French Riviera. The landscape painting glows as Hockney captures the morning sun rays hitting the Mediterranean coastline, creating a sense of tranquillity. The soft pastel shades and minimalistic composition highlight the Sainte-Maxime port as it lights up in the sparkling light of the sunrise. As it once again highlights the artist’s fascination with water, it’s worth noting why Hockney has been drawn to the idea of capturing it in painting and said in an interview, “It is a formal problem to represent water, to describe water, because it can be anything — it can be any colour, it’s movable, it has no set visual description.”In 2022, this seminal work of Hockney was sold for USD 27.3 million at a London auction.
California
Price: USD 20 million
The beginning of Hockney’s endless obsession with the Californian landscape full of mountain views, palm trees and houses with swimming pools began in 1964. Following his move to Los Angeles from Britain, the artist found not only an amazing muse in sunny California but also found a sense of romantic and sexual freedom that wasn’t welcome in Britain at the time. A representation of these elements is the theme of his 1965 painting titled California. It is also a significant artwork because it is Hockney’s first painting from the swimming pool series, made between 1964 and 1967. Capturing what can be interpreted as a beautiful and leisurely summer romance between the two figures, the painting was inspired by an image from an American fitness magazine.
Winter Timber
Price: USD 23 million
Away from the California sun, Hockney’s Winter Timber finds a deep connection with the natural beauty of the Yorkshire countryside. It contrasts the impact of human intervention on nature by portraying stacks of logs cut down from trees amid the woods. The vast landscape of the forest is captured in oil on canvas, measuring over twenty feet across, making it an impactful sight. With its striking violet and blue palette, the painting’s pronounced beauty lies in the juxtaposition of the felled trees among a thriving landscape, conveying the enduring power of nature. Given the palpable beauty of this masterpiece, it unsurprisingly made a massive sale of USD 23 million in 2022 at a Christie’s auction.
L’Arbois, Sainte-Maxime
Price: USD 17.19 million
The 1968 painting is one of the finest examples of Hockney’s ability to transcend mediums, as he uses one of his photographs as inspiration. A result of the artist’s European getaway with his then-companion Peter Schlesinger during the autumn of 1968, L’Arbois, Sainte-Maxime is a part of a series of four paintings where Hockney captured his time in the French Riviera. With this artwork, he recreates the Hotel L’Arbois in Sainte-Maxime, where he stayed during his visit.
Considering Hockney draws inspiration from photographs he captured with his 35mm camera, the painting carries a cinematic effect. In the backdrop of the luscious foliage, lies a modern architectural structure, in this case, the hotel, and it perfectly relays the beautiful setting of the small town set across the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. A pivotal work from Hockney’s Sainte-Maxime-set series, the painting famously exceeded its initial sale estimate of USD 9 to 13 million and instead was sold for an astonishing USD 17.19 million at a Sotheby’s auction in 2024.
(Main and featured images: Christie’s/Instagram)
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.