black and white etching of a seated woman wearing a long dress and holding a piece of cloth in her PL hand, a single tear coming from her PR eye; small, hairy man on the right with arms outstretched toward seated woman; small shallow ledge in background with three pieces of fruit on center of the ledge

%C2%A9 David Hockney

Pleading for the Child, 1969 (published 1970)

expand_more
Not on Viewexpand_more

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
Pleading for the Child
Artist Life
British (active United States), born 1937
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2017.152.7
Provenance
Richard M. Sweet, M.D., Santa Rosa, Calif.; given to MIA, 2017.
Catalogue Raisonne
Scottish Arts Council 106
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

black and white etching of a seated woman wearing a long dress and holding a piece of cloth in her PL hand, a single tear coming from her PR eye; small, hairy man on the right with arms outstretched toward seated woman; small shallow ledge in background with three pieces of fruit on center of the ledge

© David Hockney

Because of © restrictions, we can only show you a small image of this artwork.