David Hockney The Student: Homage to Picasso (M.C.A.T. 143) For Sale

David Hockney’s print ‘Homage to Picasso’ was created in 1973, in memoriam of the notorious artist who died that year. Hockney continued the homage further through a second print created that same year, titled Artist and Model, which similarly depicts Hockney alongside the ‘father of modern art’. Hockney deeply admired Picasso, saying ‘I think Picasso was, without doubt, the greatest portraitist of the 20th century, if not any other century’.
The print contains two key elements within the composition: David Hockney, and a bust of Pablo Picasso. Hockney is depicted in profile, facing the bust and gazing intently at it. His arms are at his side, as he firmly grasps what appears to be a blank artist’s easel; this blank canvas represents the ways in which Hockney’s style was so heavily influenced by Picasso. The print maintains a relatively flat perspective, as the figures appear on a single plain, due to no depth of background. However, Hockney masterfully adds texture to each item within the print, whether it be his hair, the plinth or the wooden board, through his use of lines and crosshatching, which adds a sense of depth and realism which contrasts with the otherwise simplicity and minimalism of the print. The elegant simplicity is exemplified further through the use of black and white, the lack of colour adds emphasis onto the lines and texture, showcasing Hockney’s mastery of this medium.
Hockney’s positioning of his self-portrait alongside the bust of Picasso strikes a dialogue between the two great artists. As Hockney is facing Picasso, he seems contemplative, looking at his face intently in the same way one would look at a painting, trying to read and understand it. In this print Hockney placed Picasso on a pedestal both literally and figuratively, showing his veneration towards him. In 1960, Hockney visited Tate Modern’s Pablo Picasso retrospective, where he was so captivated by the artwork, he returned to the exhibition eight more times. Since the young artist’s inaugural experience with Picasso’s artwork, his style has remained heavily influenced. For example, his photo collages echo the cubism of Picasso’s earlier works, and his Blue Guitar series echo the surrealism of Picasso’s style. In the same year, Hockney created Artist and Model, where he similarly paid tribute by placing himself next to his art-historical hero.