From A Rake’s Progress, 1961–3
etching and aquatint on paper
The artist’s first visit to the United States in the summer of 1961 provided the narrative for the semiautobiographical series, A Rake’s Progress. Inspired by William Hogarth’s set of engravings of 1735, Hockney transformed Hogarth’s original tale of an aristocrat who squandered his wealth into his own personal story of a young gay man’s journey and emerging identity in 1960s New York City, although homosexuality would be only partially legalized in the UK in 1967. The etchings were partly inspired by real events. His encounter with homeless people lying on the streets drinking in the Bowery district of Lower Manhattan reminded Hockney of Hogarth’s eighteenth century London.
In A Rake’s Progress, Hockney reimagines episodes from his first visit to the United States in the summer of 1961. Among the scenes he records is his meeting with William S. Lieberman, then Curator of Prints at the Museum of Modern Art, who bought two prints from him including Myself and My Heroes. The name ‘Lady Clairol’ references the brand of hair dye with which Hockney first bleached his own hair. A range of artistic influences can be traced from the figures of William Blake to the ‘Art Brut’ style of Jean Dubuffet.*
From the exhibition
David Hockney: Drawing from Life
(November 2023 - January 2024)
David Hockney (b.1937) is regarded as one of the master draughtsmen of our times. He widely champions drawing, which is at the heart of his studio activity and has underpinned his work throughout his life. From the early pen and ink and coloured pencil drawings, to his more recent experiments with watercolour and digital technology, the artist’s inventive visual language has taken many different stylistic turns.
Over the past six decades he has never stood still, or rested on a particular approach, medium or technique, remaining inquisitive, playful and thought provoking while generously sharing his ideas with his audience. His drawing reflects his admiration for both the Old Masters and ‘modern Masters’ from Rembrandt to Picasso.
Drawing from Life explores the artist’s unique vision of the world around him, which is played out in portraits of himself and his intimate circle. A room of new ‘painted drawings’ of visitors to his Normandy studio in 2021-2 offer a glimpse of Hockney’s continuing working life.
All works in the exhibition are by David Hockney..
[*National Portrait Gallery]
Taken in National Portrait Gallery