Van Gogh Chair (white)
Signed Print

As with Van Gogh Chair (Black)here David Hockney takes the famous painting of a chair by Dutch post-Impressionist van Gogh as his starting point for an etching. van Gogh’s work is notable for its realism and soft palette, however in Hockney’s version the chair is given an almost cartoon or Pop Art treatment, its wooden frame outlined in thick black lines which contrast with the light wash of ink behind it. Hockney has taken the original chair and positioned it in a tight corner of a room that is bare except for its bright red patterned carpet. It remains recognisable as van Gogh’s chair however, thanks to the pipe that rests on the wicker seat, an obvious homage to the Dutch artist, who Hockney greatly admired. The work also marks a significant departure from its counterpart Van Gogh Chair (Black) which, while striking in its palette, is rendered with softer marks and shading, like many of the other prints in the Recent Etchings series. With its cartoon style outlines Van Gogh Chair (White) stands out as a playful experiment, representing Hockney’s ability to push his chosen medium to the limit and challenge the boundaries of printmaking.