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Celebrated artist David Hockney recently shared that he did not extend an offer to paint King Charles during the monarch’s visit to his London residence because their relationship is not close enough. This decision aligns with Hockney’s well-established principle of only depicting individuals he knows personally. At 87 years old, Hockney has similarly declined opportunities to paint the late Queen Elizabeth II for this reason as well.
In a conversation with the Times ahead of his newest exhibition, Hockney described the king’s visit to his Marylebone home, stating, “He came on Monday for about an hour. But I didn’t offer to paint him.” Regarding Queen Elizabeth II, he reflected on the challenges associated with royal portraiture, noting, “It’s difficult to do the majesty … I thought, she is a genuinely majestic figure, and I just couldn’t see a way to do it.”
Hockney emphasized the importance of familiarity with subjects for producing meaningful portraits, critiquing Lucian Freud’s rendition of the late queen: “When you look at the queen, her skin is absolutely marvellous. It’s very beautiful skin. Well, he didn’t get that at all.”
The artist also revealed his recent decision to relocate back to London from Normandy, France, citing the “intrusion” of visitors as a significant factor. Hockney’s upcoming exhibition, titled David Hockney 25, is set to open at the Fondation Louis Vuitton art museum in Paris.
In the interview, he discussed new works created at his Marylebone home, including a piece entitled Play Within a Play Within a Play and Me with a Cigarette, which carries a pro-smoking message. “I’m nearly 88 years old and I didn’t think I’d be here. I’m still a smoker, but I’m surviving,” he stated. He further commented on a recent newspaper report regarding lung cancer rates and smoking prevalence, suggesting there might be more to the relationship between the two than meets the eye.
Hockney also voiced his thoughts on a perceived increase in authoritarian attitudes in society, remarking, “People are getting very … bossy. There’s an awful lot of bossy people about now. They’re little Hitlers, aren’t they? And there’s lots of them. Bossy bossy boots.”
Throughout his career, which began in the early 1950s, Hockney has become renowned for iconic works such as A Bigger Splash (1967), Portrait of an Artist (Pool With Two Figures) (1972), and Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy (1971). Although he has not painted the Queen, he created a stained glass window for her, known as the Queen’s Window, which was unveiled in Westminster Abbey in 2018.
Source
www.theguardian.com