British Modern
David Hockney
One of the most influential and beloved British artists of the past century.
About the artist
David Hockney (1937â2026) was born in Bradford, England. He studied at Bradford School of Art and later the Royal College of Art in London, where he won the gold medal for outstanding distinction and emerged as a leading figure of British Pop art.
In 1964 he moved to Los Angeles, whose light and swimming pools became the setting for some of his most famous paintings, including A Bigger Splash (1967, Tate). His celebrated double portraits and his later landscapes of the Yorkshire Wolds cemented his reputation across painting, drawing, printmaking and photography.
In later years he embraced digital tools, producing a remarkable body of work on the iPad and continuing to exhibit internationally into his eighties. He died on 11 June 2026, aged 88.
Key bodies of work
Swimming pools
The Los Angeles pool paintings of the 1960s, including A Bigger Splash (1967).
Double portraits
His large-scale depictions of friends and collectors, among the most recognisable portraits in modern art.
Yorkshire landscapes
Monumental paintings of the Yorkshire Wolds, returning to his home county in later life.
Prints & drawing
A prolific and innovative printmaker across etching, lithography and screenprint.
Photographic joiners
Cubist-inspired collages assembled from hundreds of photographs.
iPad drawings
A celebrated late body of digital work, drawn daily and exhibited worldwide.
At a glance
- Born 1937, Bradford
- Royal College of Art gold medal
- Moved to Los Angeles, 1964
- Major retrospective at Tate Britain and beyond
- Order of Merit, 2012
- Died 11 June 2026, aged 88
Works by David Hockney are sourced to order.
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