David Hockney Celia in a Wicker Chair(M.C.A.T. 158) For Sale

This striking portrait of Celia Birtwell was created by David Hockney in 1974. One’s eye is immediately drawn to the bold and brash pattern printed on Birtwell’s dress, which is etched in significant more detail than the other features of the print, from the wicker chair to her mess of orange curls which are depicted in pencil-like lines, making it feel more ephemeral and transient. We see the dress before we see Celia. The print showcases Hockney’s masterful eye for colour, and his playful experimentation with colour in etching; the green chair contrasts with Birtwell's once-signature colourful and patterned ensemble and vivid hair. Much like in Panama Hat, Hockney uses clothing to represent the character of his muses, and here Hockney has used a bold pattern to symbolise his life-long best friend. Celia, a textile designer, spoke of her fondness of dressing up in bold patterns such as this for Hockney, saying “well, I always try to dress up for him. Here, you can see in this one… That’s a second-hand dressing gown. I bought that when Ossie [Birtwell’s former husband, fashion designer, Ossie Clark] had a Bentley, because of course he did. We used to float off in it.” Birtwell and Hockney had been close friends since the 1960s, after a natural assimilation due to their shared northern heritage and presence within the bohemian artistic circles of 1960s London. Celia features heavily throughout Hockney’s oeuvre, in pieces such as in his friends portfolio. The intimate relationship between two close friends is captured between Hockney and Celia; she seems relaxed and comfortable as she lounges nonchalantly on the chair, crossing her legs. Throughout his oeuvre, Hockney is able to convey his personal feelings towards people and places, whether it be his fondness for the paradisal LA swimming pool, an interior of a Parisian apartment, or a poignant connection with friends. The delicate lines and gentle touches Hockney has added to this portrait of Birtwell encompasses his fondness for her. As Hockney himself said, “Celia has a beautiful face, a very rare face with lots of things in it which appeal to me. It shows aspects of her, like her intuitive knowledge and her kindness, which I think is the greatest virtue. To me she’s such a special person.”