The Acrobat
The Acrobat
Signed Print
David Hockney
£4,050-£6,000 VALUE (EST.)
$7,500-$11,000 VALUE (EST.)
$7,000-$10,000 VALUE (EST.)
¥35,000-¥50,000 VALUE (EST.)
€4,600-€7,000 VALUE (EST.)
$40,000-$60,000 VALUE (EST.)
¥650,000-¥970,000 VALUE (EST.)
$5,000-$7,500 VALUE (EST.)
This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
Etching, 1964
Signed Print Edition of 15
H 43cm x W 58cm
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Artwork | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2018 | Itineris - Italy | The Acrobat - Signed Print | |||
| May 2013 | Sotheby's New York - United States | The Acrobat - Signed Print | |||
| February 2012 | Christie's London - United Kingdom | The Acrobat - Signed Print |
Meaning & Analysis
The Acrobat is a signed etching by British artist, David Hockney. Rendered in the simplistic, cartoon-like style characteristic of Hockney’s other works produced in 1964, such asCleanliness is Next to Godliness orFigure By A Curtain, It depicts a circus performer standing atop a white horse as they ready themselves to jump through a burning circus hoop. With bold, loosely representational forms echoing the work of Picasso, this piece is testament to Hockney’s unparalleled skill at the etching plate. Unworked areas – the performer’s upper body and horse – engender a striking negative space which unlocks the effective potential of the etching’s dark, heavily-inked background. In this work, Hockney does not aim to produce likeness, but rather takes inspiration from the avant-garde. Indeed, during this period Hockney often looked to the Cubist movement, the artistic style of which he makes extended use of in Cubist Boy With A Colourful Tree (1964), or Iowa (1964) – both produced during his travels across North America. Referencing Hockney’s profound love for and interest in the stage, The Acrobat constitutes a significant jump-off point for Hockney’s later work with the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, an institution with which he worked extensively during the late 1970s and early ‘80s.
