Print Guide: David Hockney Afternoon Swimming (M.C.A.T 233) For Sale: David Hockney's Afternoon Swimming (1979) print guide. Learn about value, edition details, and how to buy or sell this Hockney print with Andipa Editions. See price and availability below.

  • David Hockney Afternoon Swimming

    David Hockney Afternoon Swimming (M.C.A.T 233)

    Afternoon Swimming (1979) is a vibrant lithograph by David Hockney, created as part of his celebrated Swimming Pool series. Produced during his transformative years in Los Angeles, the work reflects Hockney’s fascination with water as both a formal and symbolic subject. After leaving post-war Britain for California, Hockney found inspiration in the sunlit gardens and private pools that embodied his vision of a modern utopia. In this print, he explores the challenge of representing water, its movement, transparency, and shifting colour, through bold graphic marks and luminous tones.

     

    Artist: David Hockney
    Title: Afternoon Swimming 
    Year: 1979
    Catalogue Raisonné:     Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, David Hockney Prints 1954–1977: A Catalogue Raisonné, (M.C.A.T. 233)
    Medium: Photoengraving on Rives BFK paper
    Edition:  Edition of 55 TP, signed and numbered
    Size: 80.6 x 100.3 (31.7 x 39.7 inches)
    Printer:  
    Publisher:  

     

    Availability: not currently available.

    If you're looking to acquire this print, click below:

    Find me Afternoon Swimming

  • About David Hockney Afternoon Swimming 

    Unlike earlier pool paintings such as A Bigger Splash and Pool with Two Figures, Afternoon Swimming emphasizes motion through the repeated presence of swimmers cutting across the water’s surface. Broad blue brushstrokes suggest rippling depth, while vivid pink linear accents capture the rhythm of moving bodies. A bright red lilo floats calmly nearby, contrasting energetic activity with Californian leisure. In the background, stylised trees outlined in black frame the scene, reinforcing the composition’s graphic clarity. Hockney famously compared his relocation to California to Vincent van Gogh travelling to Arles, seeking transformative light and colour. Fauvist echoes of Henri Matisse appear in the expressive palette and flattened perspective. Through lithography, Hockney masterfully translates water’s fluidity into dynamic line and colour, affirming his enduring exploration of perception and place.

  • Current Availability

    David Hockney's Afternoon Swimming is not currently available. 
     

    Would you like Andipa to source this artwork for you?

    Find me Afternoon Swimming

  • Are you interested to see other available artworks by Hockney? 

  • David Hockney Afternoon Swimming

    Edition Notes: 

    Afternoon Swmming was published in an edition of 55 Trial Proofs, signed and numbered in pencil lower left/right. Generally, proofs and standard edition examples can differ in market value depending on rarity and condition. 

     

    Signature:

    The print is signed and numbered in pencil lower left/right. The presence and clarity of the signature is an important factor and feature in authentication and value assessment.

     

    Condition:

    Given the age and rarity of Afternoon Swimming, condition is a critical factor in determining value. Each example we handle is carefully examined for foxing, time-staining, handling marks, edge wear, or tears, all of which can impact desirability and price.

     

    Provenance:

    Where possible, provenance is researched and documented: exhibition history, collection records, and publication references can significantly enhance confidence and value for collectors.

     

    Pricing and Value Guidance:

    Due to scarcity and private market activity, prices for David Hockney's Afternoon Swimming, can vary widely. As a general guide, values are influenced by: overall condition; edition size; whether it's signed; proof versus standard edition; provenance; and current market demand for Hockney prints. 

  • Andipa is here to help guide and assist you; to ensure that your journey in acquiring art is an enjoyable and explorative one.

    FAQs

    Is Afternoon Swimming David Hockney's first print?

    No Afternoon Swimming is not Hockney's first print. It is a highly acclaimed, 1979 color lithograph created much later in his career, produced during a period when he was experimenting with the "Paper Pools" series.

     

    Is Afternoon Swimming signed by David Hockney?

    The print is signed in pencil lower left/right.

     

    How rare is David Hockney's Afternoon Swimming?

    Among Hockney's Swimming Pools prints, Afternoon Swimming stands as the rarest and most elusive. Created in 1980 in an edition of just 55 TP.

     

    Can Andipa Editions source Afternoon Swimming privately?

    Yes. We regularly source this print for collectors through our private and trusted network.

     

    How much is David Hockney's Afternoon Swimming worth?

    Values vary based on condition, edition type, and provenance. Please do contact Andipa Editions for current market guidance; we'd be delighted to assist you.

  • Every artwork begins with a story. Every collection begins with a conversation. We invite you to begin yours with Andipa, for generations to come.

    Sell a David Hockney Afternoon swimming Print

    If you own an original Afternoon Swimming print by David Hockney and are considering selling, Andipa Editions would be delighted to assist and present it to our collectors on your behalf. We offer confidential, no-obligation valuations based on current market conditions and can advise on the most appropriate route to market; handling authentication, marketing, and negotiation on your behalf and support this collaborative selling journey at every step.

     

    Enquire about Selling

    Buy a David Hockney Afternoon Swimming Print with Andipa Editions

    Andipa Editions has six decades of experience advising collectors across the world on the acquisition of important prints by Andy Warhol. If Afternoon Swimming  is not currently available, we can actively source this work privately, conduct full due diligence, prepare condition reports, and manage all logistics, including framing, insured shipping, and international delivery to ensure it reaches you safely and smoothly.

     

    Click to see available works