black and white etching; interior view with windows on right side; large pile of hay in center, filling the room from floor to ceiling

%C2%A9 David Hockney

A Room Full of Straw, 1969 (published 1970)

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A landmark of 20th-century book illustration, David Hockney’s unconventional interpretation of fairy tales selected from the hundreds compiled by the Brothers Grimm (Jakob Ludwig Carl Grimm and Wilhelm Carl Grimm) during the 19th century, considers the supernatural and psychological content of these bizarre stories in visual terms. With a virtuoso handling of linear and tonal intaglio printmaking, Hockney explores the characters’ motivations, values, and temperaments, presenting his own reading of the tales while seeking a greater understanding of human mentality. The illustrations also reference art of the past, a common feature of Hockney’s work, with visual allusions to Uccello, Carpaccio, Leonardo, Brueghel, and René Magritte. As a result, there is a timeless quality to the images that complements the stories’ centuries-old legacy of folklore.

Details
Title
A Room Full of Straw
Artist Life
British (active United States), born 1937
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2017.152.6
Provenance
Richard M. Sweet, M.D., Santa Rosa, Calif.; given to MIA, 2017.
Catalogue Raisonne
Scottish Arts Council 104
Curator Approved

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black and white etching; interior view with windows on right side; large pile of hay in center, filling the room from floor to ceiling

© David Hockney

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