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Hockney and Piero: A Longer Look

Until 27 October 2024

Room 46

David Hockney, in his own words, has always been a looker. 

Throughout his career, Hockney has found inspiration in the work of other artists. He never tires of looking at paintings. For him, there’s magic in it every time, whether that’s enjoying a picture in a gallery or a much-loved poster at home.

This very personal show brings together two Hockney paintings, one showing his mother and father and the other depicting his friend, curator Henry Geldzahler. They are displayed with the thread that ties them together, Piero della Francesca’s ‘The Baptism of Christ’.

‘My Parents’ and ‘Looking at Pictures on a Screen’ both include images of paintings from the National Gallery, a place Hockney knows and has loved throughout his long career. The artists whose portraits and landscapes line the walls are to him, his contemporaries. Their paintings inspire him today as much as any other influence on his work.

The exhibition, part of our Bicentenary celebrations, is a chance to slow down, to take in what’s in front of us and enjoy life-enhancing art in the Gallery. Just like Hockney’s parents and friend Geldzahler, let’s take a longer look.

 

Detail from David Hockney, 'My Parents', 1977, Tate, purchased 1981 © David Hockney. Photo: Tate, London

Ticket prices

Free

Please book a free Gallery entry ticket to gain admission to the National Gallery. We encourage you to book ahead of your visit.

The H J Hyams Exhibition Programme
Supported by The Capricorn Foundation

 

Exhibition supported by

 

'exquisite exhibition-in-miniature'
★★★★★ The i.

'a show that ingeniously affirms the importance of maintaining a cultural tradition by showing how the work of two artists, although generations apart, can create a dialogue enriching their creations and all of us'
★★★★★ London Living Large

'absorbing, puzzle-box show'
★★★★ The Times

‘whimsical’
★★★★ The Daily Telegraph

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