Aptly titled California, David Hockney's 1965 swimming pool painting is one of the first and largest of his early paintings, which the artist produced shortly after his first visit to Los Angeles. » David Hockney’s pool paintings have become some of the most iconic and loved images of our time. California is an exceptional painting made shortly after Hockney’s first trip to Los Angeles in 1964 where he marvelled at the brilliant light and mosaic-like cityscape populated by bright blue swimming pools. After a childhood brought up in the north of England, and having studied in London, still reeling from the Second World War, California must have felt like Arcadia; a beautiful place to be free and enjoy being young.,« says Katherine Arnold, Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art, Europe.
Before the auction in London on March 7, it will be on display in Paris from February 3 to 8 and in New York from February 15 to 19. This is the first time in over 40 years that the painting has been shown in public. It has been in the same private collection since 1968. From March 1 until the auction, it can be admired in London. The estimated price is around 16 million British pounds (approx. 20.4 million US dollars).
