David Hockney

£2,000-£3,000 VALUE (EST.)

AUD4,000-AUD5,000 VALUE (EST.)

CAD3,000-CAD5,000 VALUE (EST.)

CNY15,000-CNY25,000 VALUE (EST.)

€2,000-€3,000 VALUE (EST.)

HKD20,000-HKD30,000 VALUE (EST.)

¥330,000-¥500,000 VALUE (EST.)

$2,000-$4,000 VALUE (EST.)

This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.

Meaning & Analysis

Geography Book is a signed etching from 1974 by British artist, David Hockney. Released in an edition of 100, the print engages with a motif from A Simple Heart - the first story in Gustave Flaubert’s collection entitled Three Tales. In this etching, a monkey is seen attempting to run away while carrying a girl on its shoulders. A simple house, trees, and indistinct human figure appear in the back, rendered with the use of red and blue colours only.

In Flaubert’s short story, the main character Félicité learns about the world through a geography book. The illustration she comes across in the book depicts a monkey carrying off a young lady. Because her exposure to images is significantly limited, the illustration becomes key for the formation of her world of imagination. Hockey commented in the context of the story, “in A Simple Heart, Flaubert describes a country girl who knew only one image: a print showing a monkey carrying off a girl. Only a few generations back, most people saw very few images, but we are surrounded by them to the extent that they are unavoidable.”

Hockney gave expression to his fascination with the French author as he depicted scenes from his short stories, thus joining the rich lineage of artists, such as Auguste Rodin, Alphonse Mucha, and Odilon Redon who engaged with Flaubert’s writing through art. Apart from Geography Book, Hockney created Félicité Sleeping With Parrot, an etching depicting the main character of A Simple Heart.