In 1995, David Hockney produced a small group of prints dedicated to one of the most intimate subjects of his artistic life: his dachshunds. The three compositions, Vertical Dogs, Horizontal Dogs, and Small Dogs, depict the animals resting quietly on cushions, transforming simple domestic moments into vivid graphic compositions.

Introduction

Each print was produced as an etching and aquatint in colors and published in an edition of 80 impressions. The combination of these two intaglio techniques allowed Hockney to merge strong linear drawing with rich tonal color fields. Etching provides the bold black contours that define the animals’ forms, while aquatint introduces the saturated areas of color: particularly the vibrant reds of the dogs and the cool blues of the cushions and shadows. The prints belong to a broader body of work from the 1990s inspired by Hockney’s beloved dachshunds Stanley and Boodgie, who appear frequently in the artist’s paintings, drawings, and prints of the period. At a moment when Hockney was already internationally celebrated for his landscapes, portraits, and explorations of perspective, these works reflect a more intimate dimension of his practice, one rooted in close observation and everyday life.

Rather than presenting elaborate settings, the compositions focus almost entirely on the animals themselves. The surrounding environment is reduced to simplified cushions and minimal spatial cues, allowing the dogs’ bodies, posture, and quiet interaction to dominate the image. Through expressive line, vivid color, and carefully balanced compositions, Hockney transforms scenes of rest and companionship into striking graphic works.

In Vertical Dogs, the two dachshunds are arranged in a tall composition, their elongated bodies stacked within the vertical format of the sheet. One dog sits upright while the other reclines beside it, creating a dynamic interplay between vertical and diagonal forms.

Vertical Dogs (MCAT 345)

The animals are rendered in saturated red tones outlined with expressive black lines, giving them a sculptural presence against the lighter ground. The cushion beneath them is punctuated with scattered blue marks that suggest texture and softness. The composition emphasizes the characteristic length and posture of the dachshund while maintaining a sense of quiet balance and calm.

In Horizontal Dogs, Hockney shifts the composition into a lateral format that accentuates the long, flowing shapes of the animals’ bodies. The two dogs lie stretched across a circular cushion, their relaxed forms curving gently around one another.

Horizontal Dogs (MCAT 346)

The vivid red silhouettes contrast sharply with the cool blue tones surrounding them, while the black etched lines capture the folds of skin and subtle anatomical details. The circular cushion acts as a compositional anchor, creating a rhythmic structure that reinforces the dogs’ intertwined positions and emphasizes the peaceful atmosphere of the scene.

Small Dogs presents a more compact composition, focusing on a tighter grouping of the animals. Their bodies appear slightly more condensed, forming bold red shapes that stand out against an energetic field of blue splashes and gestural marks.

Small Dogs (MCAT 344)

The background texture introduces a lively visual rhythm that contrasts with the stillness of the sleeping dogs. Despite the simplicity of the subject, the print demonstrates Hockney’s remarkable ability to capture personality and presence with only a few expressive lines.

Although modest in subject, the 1995 dog prints occupy an important place within Hockney’s printmaking. They reveal the artist’s ability to transform everyday observation into compelling visual compositions, combining humor, affection, and graphic clarity. Through bold color contrasts, expressive contours, and carefully constructed compositions, Hockney celebrates the quiet companionship of his dogs while continuing his lifelong exploration of drawing, perception, and the expressive potential of printmaking.

Small Dogs

Small Dogs

Medium: Etching with aquatint printed in colors on Arches wove paper
Year: 1995
Image: 10 1/4 x 16 1/4 inches (26 x 41.2 cm)
Sheet: 16 3/8 x 21 7/8 inches (41.6 x 55.5 cm)
Edition: 80
Artist’s Proofs: 15 AP
Publishers: The Artist and Lococo Mulder Inc., Saint Louis, Missouri
Printer: Maurice Payne, Los Angeles
Literature: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (344)

Signed, dated and numbered in pencil with the artist’s blindstamp

Auction Results

Sotheby’s New-York: 2 November 2012
Estimated: USD 6,000 – 8,000
USD 9,375

DAVID HOCKNEY
Small Dogs, 1995
Etching and aquating printed in colors on Arches watercolor paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 36/80

Vertical Dogs

Vertical Dogs

Medium: Etching with aquatint printed in colors on Arches wove paper
Year: 1995
Image: 15 1/4 x 18 1/4 inches (38.7 x 46.4 cm)
Sheet: 22 3/8 x 24 3/4 inches (56.8 x 62.8 cm)
Edition: 80
Artist’s Proofs: 15 AP
Publishers: The Artist and Lococo Mulder Inc., Saint Louis, Missouri
Printer: Maurice Payne, Los Angeles,
Literature: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (345)

Signed, dated and numbered in pencil with the artist’s blindstamp

Auction Results

Bonhams London: 16 December 2021
Estimated: GBP 6,000 – 8,000
GBP 27,750 / USD 36,970

Bonhams London: 25 February 2021
Estimated: GBP 6,000 – 8,000
GBP 22,750 / USD 32,100

DAVID HOCKNEY (British, born 1937)
Vertical Dogs, 1995 (MCA Tokyo 345)
Etching and aquatint printed in colors on Arches
Signed, dated and numbered ‘AP. IX/XV’ in pencil
An artist’s proof aside from the numbered edition of 80

Horizontal Dogs

Horizontal Dogs

Medium: Etching and aquatint in colors on Arches watercolor paper
Year: 1995
Image: 15 1/4 x 18 1/4 inches (38.7 x 46.4 cm)
Sheet: 22 3/8 x 24 3/4 inches (56.8 x 62.8 cm)
Edition: 80
Artist’s Proofs: 15
Publishers: The Artist and Lococo Mulder Inc., Saint Louis, Missouri
Literature: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (346)

Signed, dated and numbered in pencil with the artist’s blindstamp

Auction Results

Beaussant Lefebvre Paris: 23 May 2025
Estimated: EUR 10,000 – 15,000
EUR 35,840 / USD 40,670

David HOCKNEY (b. 1937)
“Horizontal Dogs”, 1995
Etching and aquatint printed in colors on Somerset watermarked wove paper
Signed, dated and numbered 8/80
Artist’s stamp lower right

Christie’s New-York: 21 April 2022
Estimated: USD 20,000 – 30,000
USD 47,880

DAVID HOCKNEY (B. 1937)
Horizontal Dogs, 1995
Etching and aquatint in colors, on Arches watercolor paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 37⁄80

Sotheby’s New-York: 28 April 2017
Estimated: USD 5,000 – 7,000
USD 16,250

DAVID HOCKNEY
Horizontal Dogs (M.C.A.T. 346), 1995
Etching printed in colors on wove paper
Etching and aquatint printed in colors
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 80/80