Livingstone, Marco. David Hockney. New York: Thames and
Hudson, 1996.
Hockney, David, Maurice Tuchman, and Stephanie Barron.
David Hockney: A Retrospective. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum, 1988.
Evans, Gregory. Hockney’s Pictures: The Definitive Retrospective. New York: Bulfinch Press, 2004.
William Crow is associate museum educator at The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York.
Resource
Web Link
next to the fireplace be so large that we see the back and
both sides of it at the same time? Hockney explores varied
points of view as well as imaginative depictions of ordinary
objects—a technique that shows the influence of Picasso
and Cubism.
Picasso’s use of texture is similar to Hockney’s technique. Use this
image to compare and contrast. Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973),
Mandolin, Fruit Bowl, and Plaster Arm, 1925. Oil on canvas, 38½ x
51¼" (98 x 130 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,
Bequest of Florene M. Schoenborn, 1995 (1996.403.2). © 2007 Estate of
Pablo Picasso/Artist Rights Society (ARS) New York.
Middle School
After exploring the painting with
students, ask them to take photographs of a room in their home and
discuss the images in terms of shape,
form, color, and space. They may
want to take multiple photographs
of the same room from different
angles or perspectives. Discuss Hockney’s practice of using photographs
as inspiration in his work, and ask
students to create a painting or collage using their photographs as a
source.
Elementary
Examine and discuss the painting
Large Interior, Los Angeles, 1988
with the students. What colors,
shapes, patterns, and textures does
Hockney use to create this space?
Describe the room—is it large or
small? Dark or colorful? Still or
active? Ask your students to explore
your classroom and the furniture in
it. Working in groups, create a large
drawing or collage of the classroom
using shapes, patterns, and textures.
You may want to cut some shapes
from different colors of construc-
tion paper or wallpaper for younger
grades.
Classroom Activities
SchoolArts April 2007
High School
Compare Hockney’s work with that
of Picasso. While both artists are
interested in depicting form and
space on a two-dimensional surface,
how is their work different? You
may want to use a Venn diagram to
group similarities and differences.
Explore the work of certain art-
ists who influenced others (Manet
inspired by Velázquez, or Degas
influenced by Japanese prints, for
example). Provide each student with
an image and some basic informa-
tion about the artist. Ask each
student to do some research on
the work and the artist, being sure
to include information about his
or her technique, subject matter,
and style. You may want to use the
Metropolitan Museum’s Timeline
of Art History as a resource (www.
metmuseum.org/toah). Ask each stu-
dent to create an original work of
art in response to the art they have
researched.
