Home / Arts and Entertainment / Hockney Masterpiece Sells for Record $90.3M
Hockney Masterpiece Sells for Record $90.3M
12 Jun
Summary
- Hockney's 'Pool with Two Figures' sold for $90.3 million.
- The 1972 painting depicts a bittersweet autobiographical moment.
- The artwork was later displayed at Tate Modern in 2023.
In November 2018, David Hockney's "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)" achieved a groundbreaking sale at Christie's in New York City, fetching $90.3 million. This price set a new world record for a painting by a living artist at auction. The 1972 artwork, considered a signature piece by Hockney, offers a complex autobiographical narrative.
"Portrait of an Artist" depicts two figures by a swimming pool, symbolizing the end of Hockney's relationship with Peter Schlesinger. The painting's creation involved hundreds of photographs and intense work over two weeks. Originally purchased for $18,000 in 1972 by James Colonsay Langhorne Astor, it passed through several prominent owners before its record-breaking sale.
The buyer of the masterpiece was later revealed to be Taiwanese billionaire Pierre Chen. In 2023, this seminal work was featured in the "Capturing the Moment" exhibition at Tate Modern in the UK. Hockney's "Pool with Two Figures" remains a celebrated example of his unique artistic vision and emotional depth.
