Self-Portrait II, 14 March 2012

Despite the autobiographical content of early prints such as Myself and my Heroes (1961) and The Rakes Progress (1961-63), and his occasional appearance in later prints such as The Student (1973) and Henry seated with Tulips (1976), self-portraits are relatively uncommon in Hockney's work. Only eight true self-portraits exist in his printmaking oeuvre. The earliest was made in 1954 while Hockney was a student at Bradford (see Christie's, London, 21 March 2019, lot 1, £60,000), the most recent dates from 2012, the year of Hockney's acclaimed exhibition A Bigger Picture at the Royal Academy in London. The present lot is one of four Ipad self-portraits created by Hockney that year. With his bright red shirt and blue jacket, and the now familiar red-rimmed glasses and tweed cap, Hockney's attire is very different to the sober clothing of his 17-year-old self, in a morning suit and NHS prescription glasses. His expression is, however, no less inscrutable.