Introduction

While at the Royal College of Art in London, Hockney’s friend and fellow artist R.B. Kitaj encouraged him to use items and people from everyday life as the subject of his work. Hockney turned to the people that were closest to him as his sitters: his friends and family. In 1961, Mo McDermott and Ossie Clark, both of whom have been frequently portrayed in Hockney’s portraiture, introduced him to British textile designer Celia Birtwell. Celia studied fabric design at Salford and went on to marry Ossie Clark in 1969. The two became fast friends as they bonded over their northern roots and shared sense of humor.

“She’s playful, funny. When I first met her, I was attracted to the fact that she could make me laugh.” 

Hockney waited until 1968 to draw Celia for the first time, once the pair was better acquainted. Since then, the artist has portrayed Celia many times through their long and enduring friendship. She has been depicted in a variety of scenes: on an office chair, in a green hat, with her husband, and more. Celia is often shown in her own fabric designs, often thinking of their sittings as collaborations. Hockney has remained inspired by Celia as the two have aged, and she has remained one of the artist’s favorite models.

In January of 1973, Hockney made one of his many trips to California and worked at the Gemini studio on a group of lithographs. Hockney executed three portraits of Celia that were proofed by the master printer Ken Tyler, who worked with the artist on many of his lithographs. Celia Is seated in a classically modern chair by Marcel Breuer, a favorite Hockney prop. Despite the soft repeated contour lines, she appears as a detached ‘‘cutout’’ applied to the buff sheet. Crayon — used both with great precision and with calligraphic freedom — is combined with a thin wash of lithographic tusche that weightlessly describes her simple dress. In those prints, Hockney has looked back toward the nineteenth century not only in his use of traditional techniques but also in his desire to capture with elegance and sensitivity the personality of one of his favorite sitters.

1. Celia Smoking (MCAT 136)

2. Celia (MCAT 137)

3. Celia, 8365 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood (MCAT 138)

Celia Smoking (MCAT 136)

Celia Smoking

Medium: Lithograph on Angoumois handmade paper
Year: 1973
Sheet: 39 1/4 x 28 1/2 inches (99.7 x 72.4 cm)
Image: 31 1/8 x 18 1/8 inches (79×46 cm)
Edition: 70
Artist’s Proofs: 9 AP
Publisher: Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles
Literature: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (136), Scottish Arts Council (146), Gemini (449)

Signed, dated, titled and numbered in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp and inkstamp on the reverse

Auction Results

DAVID HOCKNEY
Celia Smoking (Scottish Arts Council 146), 1973
Lithograph on handmade Angoumois wove paper
Lower right signed and dated by the artist in pencil “David Hockney 73”
Numbered on the left “55/70”
Titled in the centre “Celia Smoking”
With the blindstamp of Gemini G.E.L. Lower right, verso with the work number “73-570”

Christie’s New-York: 16 April 2024
Estimated: USD 6,000 – 8,000
USD 5,040

DAVID HOCKNEY (B. 1937)
Celia Smoking, 1973
Lithograph on Angoumois handmade paper
Signed, titled and dated in pencil, numbered 54⁄70

Christie’s online: 27 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 5,500 – 6,500
GBP 7,560 / USD 9,586

DAVID HOCKNEY (B. 1937)
Celia Smoking, 1973
Lithograph on Angoumois handmade wove paper
Signed, dated and titled in pencil, numbered 10/70

Bonhams LA: 3 October 2023
Estimated: USD 7,000 – 10,000
USD 8,320

Phillips London: 13 September 2022
Estimated: GBP 5,000 – 7,000
GBP 11,970 / USD 13,992

Celia (MCAT 137)

Celia

Medium: Lithograph on Moulin du Verger du Puymoyen handmade buff (Angoumois à la main) paper
Year: 1973
Sheet: 42 1/4 x 28 3/8 inches (107.3 x 72.1 cm)
Edition: 52
Artist’s Proofs: 6 AP
Publisher: Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles
Literature: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (137), Scottish Arts Council (146)

Signed, dated, titled and numbered in green crayon with the publisher’s blindstamp and inkstamp on the reverse

Auction Results

Christie’s New-York: 16 April 2024
Estimated: USD 8,000 – 12,000
USD 5,760

DAVID HOCKNEY (B. 1937)
Celia, 1973
Lithograph on Moulin du Verger du Puymoyen handmade buff (Angoumois à la main) paper
Signed, titled and dated in green crayon, numbered 35⁄52 (there were also six artist’s proofs)

Christie’s New-York: 15 September 2021
Estimated: USD 15,000 – 20,000
USD 25,000

DAVID HOCKNEY (B. 1937)
Celia, 1973
Lithograph, on Moulin du Verger du Puymoyen handmade buff (Angoumois à la main) paper
Signed, titled and dated ’72’ in green crayon, numbered 2/52 (there were also six artist’s proofs)

Celia, 8365 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood (MCAT 138)

Celia, 8365 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood

Medium: Lithograph on Arches paper
Year: 1973
Sheet: 47 1/2 x 31 5/8 inches (120.7 x 80.3 cm)
Edition: 46
Artist’s Proofs: 11 AP
Printer’s Proofs: 2 PP
Publisher: Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles
Literature: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (138), Scottish Arts Council (147)

Signed, dated, titled and numbered in red crayon with the publisher’s blindstamp and inkstamp on the reverse

Auction Results

Christie’s New-York: 16 April 2024
Estimated: USD 7,000 – 10,000
USD 6,300

DAVID HOCKNEY (B. 1937)
Celia, 8365 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, 1973
Lithograph on Arches paper
Signed, titled and dated in red crayon, numbered 32⁄46 (there were also eleven artist’s proofs)

Sotheby’s New-York: 19 October 2023
Estimated: USD 8,000 – 12,000
USD 6,096

DAVID HOCKNEY (b. 1937)
Celia, 8365 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood (S.A.C. 147; M.C.A.T. 138), 1973
Lithograph on Arches wove paper
Signed in red pencil, dated, titled and inscribed ‘Artist’s Proof V’
An artist’s proof aside from the numbered edition of 46

Christie’s London: 22 October 2022
Estimated: GBP 8,000 – 12,000
GBP 11,970 / USD 13,404

DAVID HOCKNEY, O.M., C.H., R.A. (B. 1937)
Celia 8365 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, 1973
Lithograph on Arches wove paper
Signed, titled, dated and inscribed P.P.II in red pencil
One of two printer’s proofs, aside from the edition of 46 (there were also 11 artist’s proofs)