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Diploma - Signed Print by David Hockney 1962 - MyArtBroker

Diploma
Signed Print

David Hockney

£9,000-£13,000Value Indicator

$19,000-$27,000 Value Indicator

$17,000-$24,000 Value Indicator

¥90,000-¥130,000 Value Indicator

€10,500-€15,000 Value Indicator

$100,000-$140,000 Value Indicator

¥1,790,000-¥2,590,000 Value Indicator

$12,500-$18,000 Value Indicator

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40 x 28cm, Edition of 50, Intaglio

Medium: Intaglio

Edition size: 50

Year: 1962

Size: H 40cm x W 28cm

Signed: Yes

Format: Signed Print

Last Auction: November 2023

Value Trend:

-12% AAGR

AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.

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Auction Results

Auction Date
Auction House
Location
Return to Seller
Hammer Price
Buyer Paid
November 2023
Sotheby's Online
United Kingdom
$10,000
$12,000
$15,000
September 2015
Sotheby's Online
United Kingdom
December 2014
Bonhams New Bond Street
United Kingdom
February 2012
Christie's London
United Kingdom
September 2007
Sotheby's New York
United States
April 2003
Christie's London
United Kingdom
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Track auction value trend

The value of David Hockney's Diploma (signed) is estimated to be worth between £9,000 and £13,000. This intaglio print, created in 1962, has shown consistent performance on the market, with an auction history of six total sales since its entry to the market in April 2003. The hammer price over the past five years has ranged from £7,192 in January 2019 to £7,410 in October 2021. The average annual growth rate of this work is currently -12%. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 50.

Created with Highcharts 11.4.8Apr 2003Sep 2006Feb 2010Jul 2013Jan 2017Jun 2020Nov 2023$8,000$10,000$12,000$14,000$16,000© MyArtBroker

Meaning & Analysis

An example of Hockney’s early approaches to etching, the emotive, gestural and almost cartoon-like piece was produced as a visual protest against what Hockney considered the Royal College’s outdated approach to assessment. Refusing to write the essay required for final examination, Hockney created a mock diploma in a whimsical dig at the academic establishment and its traditional values. This move, Hockney argued, reflected his own deeply held belief that art need not explain itself by way of accompanying texts, written in an inaccessible academic register. The abstracted figures in the etching are in fact visual metaphors for key members of RCA staff, including a registrar named Mr. Moon; depicted as a crescent moon with sharp, attacking teeth, this character recalls another of Hockney’s 1961 etchings, Gretchen And The Snurl (1961). Hockney’s approach in Diploma directly recalls the eminently political and seminal work, We Two Boys Together Clinging (1961), the name of which references a poem by American writer Walt Whitman. Complete with graffiti-like text, the form of which directly echoes those scrawled across the surface of Diploma, made coded references to Hockney’s homosexuality at a time when it was still illegal in Britain.

  • British-born artist David Hockney is a kaleidoscopic force in the art world. Born in 1937, Hockney's vibrant palette and innovative techniques have left an indelible mark on contemporary art. A pioneer of the British Pop Art movement in the 1960s, he seamlessly transitioned through various styles, from photo collages to vivid landscapes. Renowned for his exploration of light and space, Hockney's versatility extends to painting, printmaking, photography, and stage design. A captivating storyteller, his works often capture the essence of modern life with a playful yet profound touch. With a career spanning decades, Hockney remains an enduring visionary in the ever-evolving art world.

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