David Hockney, An Image of Celia, State II, from Moving Focus, 1984–86, is one of the rarest and most striking portraits from David Hockney’s landmark Moving Focus series, created during a period of extraordinary experimentation in the artist’s career. Begun in 1984 and completed in 1986, the work depicts British textile designer Celia Birtwell, Hockney’s longtime friend and one of his most enduring subjects. Through fragmented forms, layered materials, and shifting viewpoints, Hockney transforms the traditional seated portrait into a bold investigation of identity, space, perception, and memory.

By the early 1980s, Hockney had grown increasingly dissatisfied with the single viewpoint of traditional Renaissance perspective. Inspired by his photographic “joiners,” Cubism, and the experience of looking at a subject over time, he developed a new visual language that allowed several moments and angles to exist within one image. The Moving Focus series became one of the most important expressions of these ideas, reflecting the way the eye naturally travels across a person or environment rather than seeing everything from one frozen position.

In An Image of Celia, State II, Celia’s reclining figure is reconstructed through overlapping planes and dramatically changing proportions. Her face, patterned clothing, armchair, and surrounding interior are broken apart and brought together again through energetic passages of blue, green, pink, red, yellow, and black. Collaged sections extend beyond the conventional rectangular image, while the radiating floor and background lines create a strong sense of movement. The portrait feels both intimate and monumental, capturing not only Celia’s appearance but Hockney’s evolving experience of looking at her.

Works from Hockney’s 1980s period are among the most sought-after and collectible editions of his career. During this remarkable decade, he reconsidered the possibilities of modern portraiture while pushing the technical and physical boundaries of printmaking. With a standard edition of only 10, An Image of Celia, State II is considerably rarer than most prints from the Moving Focus series, making signed examples especially difficult to acquire.

Produced in collaboration with the legendary master printers at Tyler Graphics, An Image of Celia, State II combines color lithography with collage on handmade TGL paper. Printed from 20 aluminum plates, the work possesses an exceptional richness of color, surface, and scale. The sheet measures approximately 61½ by 42¼ inches and was issued in Hockney’s original artist-designed frame finished in white lacquer, bringing the complete framed dimensions to approximately 66¼ by 45⅝ inches. It stands as an outstanding example of Hockney’s ability to merge printmaking, collage, portraiture, and sculptural presentation.

Museum Collections:

The significance of An Image of Celia, State II is reflected by its inclusion in the permanent collection of:

Walker Art Center, Minneapolis

Its presence in this important institutional collection underscores the significance of both the Moving Focus series and Hockney’s revolutionary contributions to late twentieth-century portraiture and printmaking.

This example, numbered from the exceptionally limited edition of only 10 and hand signed and dated by David Hockney, represents an outstanding opportunity to acquire one of the artist’s rarest museum-quality print editions. An additional six artist’s proofs were produced outside the standard edition. Combining rarity, historical significance, technical complexity, monumental scale, and Hockney’s original artist-designed frame, An Image of Celia, State II is an exceptional work for serious collectors of modern and contemporary art.

David Hockney’s Moving Focus series, created between 1984 and 1986, is one of the most ambitious print projects of his career. Moving beyond traditional fixed perspective, Hockney used shifting viewpoints, fragmented forms, expressive drawing, and vivid color to explore how people experience subjects over time. Featuring portraits, interiors, still lifes, chairs, and views of the Hotel Romano Angeles in Mexico, the series was produced with Kenneth Tyler using innovative combinations of lithography, etching, screenprinting, collage, and handmade papers. Together, the works represent a major achievement in modern printmaking and a powerful exploration of movement, perspective, and memory.

The works in David Hockney’s Moving Focus Series (1984–1986) include: Conversation in the Studio, Tyler Dinning Room, Pembroke Studio Interior, Pembroke Studio with Blue Chairs and Lamp, Two Pembroke Studio Chairs, The Perspective Lesson, Amaryllis in Vase, Red Celia, Celia in Green Hat, Hotel Acatlan: First Day, Hotel Acatlan: Second Day, Hotel Acatlan: Two Weeks Later, Views of Hotel Well I, Views of Hotel Well II, Views of Hotel Well III, Walking Past Two Chairs, An Image of Gregory, An Image of Celia, An Image of Celia, State I, An Image of Celia, State II, An Image of Celia Study, Portrait of Mother I, Portrait of Mother II, Portrait of Mother III, An Image of Ken, White Porcelain, A Picture of Two Chairs, Number One Chair.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

David Hockney An Image of Celia, State II, from Moving Focus, 1984–86 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonné and related texts. Copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work.

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, catalogue number 279.

1. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.