David Hockney – Tree

Tree, 1968

• Artist: David Hockney (British, born 1937)
• Medium: Colour lithograph
• Dimensions: 65 × 50 cm
• State: Artist's proof (AP) — aside from the edition of 95
• Justification: "Artist's Proof" lower left
• Signature: Signed and dated lower right — "David Hockney '68"
• Publisher: Petersburg Press, London
• Provenance: Rex Irwin Esq., Sydney; Queen Street Fine Art, Sydney; Private Collection, Sydney 

Tree is a colour lithograph executed in 1968 by David Hockney — one of the most celebrated, prolific, and internationally recognized artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries — signed and dated lower right "David Hockney '68," justified as Artist's Proof lower left, aside from the edition of 95, published by Petersburg Press in London. With a fully documented provenance, a significant exhibition history across London, Nottingham, Tokyo, and Sydney, and a literature reference in the landmark Whitechapel Art Gallery catalogue of 1970, this impression represents an acquisition of exceptional historical importance, institutional resonance, and collector significance from the very heart of Hockney's celebrated early print career.

The artist's proof state — justified AP and editioned lower left as "Artist's Proof," aside from the regular edition of 95 — places this impression outside the standard numbered edition, carrying a quality of personal significance and direct artistic ownership that gives it a collector desirability entirely distinct from the regular run. For a Hockney lithograph of 1968, a signed and dated artist's proof represents one of the rarest and most historically significant states of the work available.

Tree was executed at a pivotal moment in Hockney's career — 1968, the year he relocated permanently to Los Angeles and began the sustained engagement with the California landscape, swimming pools, and natural environment that would define the most celebrated chapter of his practice.

That same intimate, domestic sensitivity appears in Pretty Tulips (1970), a colour lithograph in which a bouquet of red tulips is rendered with Hockney's characteristic blend of precise line and luminous colour. A very different, digital-era counterpart can be found in Double Portrait (2011), a rare iPad drawing printed in an edition of just 25 — both available now at Lynart Gallery.

The work is in very good condition.

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FAQ

Is this an original work by David Hockney? Yes — an authentic colour lithograph, signed and dated "David Hockney '68," justified as Artist's Proof aside from the edition of 95, published by Petersburg Press, London, with a fully documented provenance and exhibition history.

What is the significance of the Artist's Proof state? An artist's proof — justified "Artist's Proof" and aside from the regular numbered edition — is among the most desirable and collectible states of any print, carrying a quality of personal significance and direct artistic ownership that distinguishes it from the standard run. For a signed and dated Hockney lithograph of 1968, this is a state of exceptional rarity.

What is the exhibition history? The work has been exhibited at: Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, 1970 (cat. P.28); Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham, 1979; Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, 1996; and the Wang Jia Qi fundraising auction, Sydney, 2001 — one of the most distinguished exhibition histories available for any Hockney print of this period.

What is the literature reference? The work is illustrated in David Hockney: Paintings, prints and drawings 1960–1970, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, 1970, cat. P.28, p. 85 — the landmark catalogue of Hockney's early career.

Who published the work? Petersburg Press, London — one of the most celebrated British print publishers, responsible for major editions by Francis Bacon, Henry Moore, and the most important British artists of the era.

What are the dimensions? 65 × 50 cm — 86 × 70 cm framed.

What is the condition? Very good condition. Full condition report available upon request.

Is this artwork a good investment? David Hockney is the most valuable living British artist. Signed artist's proofs from his celebrated early print career — with distinguished exhibition histories, literature references, and Petersburg Press provenance — represent acquisitions at the very apex of the Hockney print market and carry exceptional investment potential.

Is worldwide shipping available? Yes — secure worldwide shipping from France with professional packaging, tracking, and insurance.

Drawn to this piece? Richard Prince's collection may move you in the same way.