Name: Small Head Of Gregory
Brand: David Hockney
Rating: 5 (233 reviews)

Track auction value trend

The value of David Hockney's Small Head Of Gregory (signed) is estimated to be worth between £1,800 and £2,700. This lithograph print, created in 1976, has shown consistent value growth. Over the past 12 months, the average selling price was £1,725, across one total sale. This work has a steady auction history, having been sold 10 times since its initial sale in October 2006. In the last five years, the hammer price has ranged from £1,725 in February 2025 to £3,251 in November 2023. The average annual growth rate of this artwork is -10%. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 98.

Auction Date

Auction House

Location

Hammer Price

Return to Seller

Buyer Paid

February 2025

Cowley Abbott

Canada

November 2023

Sotheby's Online

United Kingdom

October 2022

SBI Art Auction

Japan

May 2019

Wright

United States

December 2018

Sotheby's New York

United States

April 2017

Phillips New York

United States

July 2009

Bonhams New Bond Street

United Kingdom

Meaning & Analysis

With his cherubic curls and full lips, Gregory Evans stares out beyond the frame presenting his face in profile. Shown casually leaning against the wall in a plain white t-shirt he stands out from the other sitters in the series who often seem overtly posed or formal. While lithography was a somewhat lengthier process than etching, Hockney retains the immediacy of his earlier prints and drawings in this work, which he titled Small Head of Gregory. A sense of intimacy is palpable too, not just through the close cropping of the head and the small size of the sheet, but also from the knowledge that Hockney and Evans were lovers for ten years; when Hockney was asked in an interview who the love of his life has been he replied, ‘Maybe Gregory’. The portrait is a marked contrast to the other work depicting Evans in the series, where the figure is shown in a suit with a floppy bow tie, sitting in a modernist tubular steel chair. Here the portrait has been stripped of context, beyond the wall that supports the sitter, and we are made to focus instead on his delicately rendered features.

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.