David Hockney, An Image of Gregory, from Moving Focus, 1984–85, is one of the most celebrated and visually engaging portraits from David Hockney’s landmark Moving Focus series, created during what is widely regarded as the artist’s most important and innovative decade. Executed between 1984 and 1985, this monumental two-part lithograph portrays Gregory Evans, one of Hockney’s closest friends and most significant longtime subjects, transforming the traditional seated portrait into an extraordinary exploration of identity, perception, perspective, and memory.

By the early 1980s, Hockney had become increasingly dissatisfied with the fixed viewpoint of traditional Renaissance perspective. Inspired by his groundbreaking photographic “joiners,” he began developing a revolutionary approach to depicting space—one that reflected how the human eye naturally experiences a person or environment by constantly shifting focus and observing it over time. The Moving Focus series represents the culmination of these investigations and stands among the most intellectually significant bodies of work in Hockney’s career.

Rather than presenting Gregory from one fixed viewpoint, An Image of Gregory divides the sitter across two irregularly shaped panels. The upper section concentrates on Gregory’s face and upper body, combining brilliant blue eyes, curling hair, a striped jacket, and fragmented facial features. The larger lower panel depicts his crossed legs, hands, colorful chair, and distinctive shoes through overlapping angles and energetic passages of blue, red, purple, turquoise, and black. Although the individual elements appear deliberately fractured, they come together to create a remarkably intimate and unified portrait. The result is an image that is unmistakably Hockney: personal, playful, sophisticated, and endlessly engaging.

Works from Hockney’s 1980s period are among the most sought-after and collectible of his entire career. During this remarkable decade, he fundamentally redefined contemporary portraiture and interior representation while simultaneously pushing the technical boundaries of printmaking. Collectors prize these editions not only for their rarity and exceptional craftsmanship, but because they represent one of the artist’s most groundbreaking creative achievements. As demand for Hockney’s work continues to grow internationally, major prints from the Moving Focus series have become increasingly difficult to acquire, particularly complete examples retaining their original artist-designed frames.

Produced in collaboration with the legendary master printers at Tyler Graphics, An Image of Gregory showcases one of the most ambitious lithographic projects of the 1980s. Created as a color lithograph with collage additions on two sheets of luxurious handmade TGL paper, the work possesses a richness of color, texture, and scale that rivals original paintings. Published by Tyler Graphics Ltd. and presented in Hockney’s original two-part sculptural wood frame, the complete composition measures approximately 89 by 41 inches. It stands as one of the finest examples of Hockney’s mastery of the printmaking medium.

Museum Collections:

The significance of An Image of Gregory is reflected by its inclusion in the permanent collections of several of the world’s leading museums, including:

The Museum of Modern Art, New York

Tate, London

Walker Art Center

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

Its presence in these prestigious institutions underscores the importance of both the Moving Focus series and Hockney’s revolutionary contributions to late twentieth-century art.

This example, numbered from the edition of only 75 and hand signed and dated by David Hockney, represents an outstanding opportunity to acquire one of the artist’s most desirable and museum-quality print editions. An additional 18 artist’s proofs were produced outside the standard edition. Combining rarity, historical significance, exceptional craftsmanship, monumental scale, and one of the strongest periods of Hockney’s career, An Image of Gregory is a cornerstone 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 Gregory, from Moving Focus, 1984–85 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.

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, catalogue number 276
Tyler Graphics catalogue number 285.

1. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.