Celia Observing

This portrait sees the fashion designer and close friend of Hockney sitting on an armchair, her pose casual and relaxed, belying the intimacy between artist and sitter. Her dress, which tells us about her sense of style, even without our knowledge of her profession, is depicted in soft crayon-like marks in red and black which Hockney has expertly conveyed with intaglio. Her face is partially hidden by her curly fringe which hangs over one eye and yet we can discern that she is staring off into the middle distance and failing to meet the artist’s gaze. She appears lost in thought, perhaps reflecting on what she has just read in the book tossed casually beside the armchair, however the title of the work tells us that she is ‘observing’, perhaps looking closely at something out of our sight.

By turns enigmatic, delightful, cheerful and melancholy, Birtwell is a versatile model and it’s easy to see why Hockney returns to her again and again. Speaking of his love for the designer as both friend and subject Hockney said, “Celia has a beautiful face, a very rare face with lots of things in it which appeal to me. It shows aspects of her, like her intuitive knowledge and her kindness, which I think is the greatest virtue. To me she’s such a special person.”