David Hockney, On It May Stay His Eye, 17, from The Blue Guitar, 1976-1977 |
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| Artist: | David Hockney (1937 - ) |
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| Title: | On It May Stay His Eye, 17, from The Blue Guitar, 1976-1977 |
| Medium: | Etching, softground etching, and aquatint on paper |
| Image Size: | 13 1/2 in x 16 3/4 in (34.5 cm x 42.5 cm) |
| Sheet Size: | 18 1/8 in x 20 3/4 in (46 cm x 53 cm) |
| Framed Size: | 21 1/2 in x 24 1/2 in (54.6 cm x 62.2 cm) |
| Edition: | Numbered from the edition of 200 in pencil in the lower left. |
| Signature: | This work is hand signed by David Hockney (Bradford 1937-) in pencil in the lower right. |
| Condition: | This work is in excellent condition. |
| ID # | W-6416 |
David Hockney On It May Stay His Eye, 17, from The Blue Guitar, 1976-1977 presents a convincing perspective of a neatly shattered glass panel set before a red area rug. The composition is divided into two worlds: the objects behind the glass, and the realm in front of it. The rug, existing in the front realm, is a loose cross-hatch of blue and red, adding a pleasantly rich texture to the otherwise cleanly linear work. Just behind the glass sits a guitar, a reoccurring object in the series, inspired by Picasso’s famous Blue-period work The Old Guitarist. As objects in the background pass behind the glass pane, their outline gets fragmented, furthering the illusion that we’re looking at a sheet of see-through material. The title of the work is derived from a poem by George Herbert in which the duality of glass is explored: one can visually focus on the glass itself as an object or choose to see through it to the world behind it. This duality is perfectly captured in Hockney's lucid depiction. There is a satisfying simplicity to the perfect parallel arrangement of the colored row In the background, the glass sheet, and the rug. Hockney’s modernist aesthetic inspired by southern California architecture is on full display in this seemingly easily understood, yet infinitely mysterious scene.
Created between 1976-1977, On It May Stay His Eye, 17, from The Blue Guitar is an etching and aquatint on paper hand-signed by David Hockney (Bradford 1937-) in pencil in the lower right and numbered from the edition of 200 in pencil in the lower left.
Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
David Hockney On It May Stay His Eye, 17, from The Blue Guitar, 1976-1977 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).
1. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.
About the Framing:
Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, David Hockney On It May Stay His Eye, 17, from The Blue Guitar, 1976-1977 is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.
Subject Matter: Music
