'A Bigger Picture'

David Hockney

Despite turning down both a knighthood in 1990 and more recently the honour of painting a portrait of the Queen saying he was “very busy painting England actually”, David Hockney (1937-) has been appointed a member of the Order of Merit.

Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy (1971)

Originally founded by King Edward VII in 1902, the Order of Merit is a special honour awarded to individuals who have made great achievements in the fields of arts, learning, literature and science.

David Hockney

The Queen is responsible for granting honours to people, from every section of the community, for acts of merit, service or bravery.

Membership is limited to 24 at a time. Hockney’s appointment arose after the death of his friend Lucian Freud (1922-2011), the only other painter in the order. Other members include Nelson Mandela (1995 honorary member), Margret Thatcher (1990) and David Attenborough (2005).

David Hockney in Lucian Freud's studio

Hockney is a member of Forest's (Freedom Organization for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco) Supporters Council and has attended several Forest events in support of smokers' rights. Hockney said he was glad his campaign for smokers' rights had not worked against him. When asked for a response he said: "No comment – other than it's nice to know they are not prejudiced against the older smoker."

Although turning down the request to paint a portrait of the Queen, portraits of each of the 24 members are commissioned. Hockney who said, “I don’t give a fuss” about prizes also says "I put them all in the bottom drawer and leave them there. I don't value prizes of any sort. I value my friends. Prizes of any sort are a bit suspect."

My Parents (1977)

He is most well known for being a pioneer of British Pop Art, especially when he moved to California in the 1960’s to paint ‘sun, sex, young men and luxury’. This was shown most notably through his pool paintings such as Portrait of an Artist (pool with two figures) (1971) and A Bigger Splash (1967).

Portrait of an Artist (pool with two figures) (1971)

A Bigger Splash (1967)

Hockney was born in Bradford, Yorkshire and that’s where he lives now, focusing mainly on British landscapes. In 2007, Hockney unveiled what was the biggest painting The Royal Academy had ever had in their summer exhibition titled Bigger Trees Near Warter (2007)

Bigger Trees near Warter (2007)

Quoted from the Royal Academy Website “In January 2012 the Royal Academy of Arts will showcase the first major exhibition of new landscape works by David Hockney RA. Featuring vivid paintings inspired by the East Yorkshire landscape, these large-scale works have been created especially for the galleries at the Royal Academy of Arts.

'David Hockney RA: A Bigger Picture' will span a 50 year period to demonstrate Hockney’s long exploration and fascination with the depiction of landscape.

The exhibition will include a display of his iPad drawings and a series of new films produced using 18 cameras, which will be displayed on multiple screens and which will provide a spellbinding visual journey through the eyes of David Hockney.” (http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/hockney/) 

Place Furstenburg, Paris (1985)




Beverly Hills Housewife (1967) sold in 2009 at Christies for £5.2 million

David Hockney's Ipad Art