Name: Gregory Evans
Brand: David Hockney
Rating: 5 (235 reviews)

Track auction value trend

The value of David Hockney’s Gregory Evans (signed) is estimated to be worth between £1,650 and £2,500. This lithograph print, created in 1976, has shown consistent value growth, with an auction history of 17 total sales since its entry to the market in April 2011. In the last 12 months, the average selling price was £1,500 across one sale. Over the past five years, the hammer price has ranged from £1,219 in November 2023 to £4,500 in July 2020. The average annual growth rate of this work is currently at -6%. This work is part of a limited edition of 90.

Auction Date

Auction House

Location

Hammer Price

Return to Seller

Buyer Paid

December 2024

Bonhams New Bond Street

United Kingdom

November 2023

Sotheby's Online

United Kingdom

October 2023

Bonhams Los Angeles

United States

September 2022

Bonhams Los Angeles

United States

September 2022

Phillips London

United Kingdom

September 2020

Bonhams Los Angeles

United States

July 2020

Forum Auctions London

United Kingdom

Meaning & Analysis

While Hockney’s other portrait of Gregory Evans, his lover of ten years, from the 1976 Friends series shows the sitter at close quarters, here Evans is held at a distance. Formally dressed and sat in a modernist chair his appearance and setting belies his intimacy with the artist. The lack of background or props serves to emphasise this distance, and encourages the viewer to pay close attention to Evans’s clothes – he wears a very ’70s suit, complete with floppy bow tie – his cherubic curls and blank expression. Over the course of more than 50 years Hockney has depicted Evans in numerous sketches, paintings and prints. The two first met in 1971 and developed a strong connection which can be felt in other portraits of Evans as well as Small Head of Gregory. When Hockney was asked in an interview who the love of his life has been he replied, ‘Maybe Gregory’. Here however we see Evans more as a sitter than a subject of the artist’s affections, as if Hockney’s aim were to present an objective portrait devoid of intimate references on the surface. However on closer inspection we can see signs of his affection or at least close attention, perhaps in the softness of Evans’ curls, the slightly awkward pose of his hands and his ambiguous expression.

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.