Key facts
- Christie's will auction David Hockney's "Dog Painting 17" on October 14.
- The painting, which depicts Hockney's dachshund Stanley, has an estimate of £1.5 million to £2.5 million.
- This is the first painting from Hockney's dog series to appear at auction.
- Hockney painted more than 40 works for his "Dog Series" in 1994-95.
- The painting will be displayed at Christie's in London from October 8.
A painting by celebrated artist David Hockney, titled "Dog Painting 17," is set to be sold by Christie's, marking the first time a work from his series dedicated to his beloved dachshunds has appeared at auction. The piece, which depicts Stanley, Hockney's first dachshund, asleep on a cushion, carries an estimate of £1.5 million to £2.5 million. Hockney, who died in June, painted more than 40 works for his "Dog Series" between 1994 and 1995. The artist was known for his deep affection for his dogs, Stanley and Boodgie, often treating them as subjects for his art. According to his biographer Christopher Simon Sykes, friends were initially surprised by Hockney's decision to get a dog but soon saw how devoted he was. Anecdotes from Hockney's life highlight his relaxed approach to his pets' behavior, including an incident at actor Dennis Hopper's home where one of the dogs had an accident. Hockney's authorized biographer, Christopher Simon Sykes, noted in his biography that Hockney was not overly concerned with house training, with friends recalling instances of the dogs defecating in shoes. In one instance at Hopper's home, Hockney famously quipped about a dog's mess, "It'll be dry in the morning, luv, and you can just pick it up." Hockney embarked on his dog paintings during a difficult period in his life, having lost several friends to AIDS and his close friend Henry Geldzahler to cancer. He expressed a desire to "desperately paint something loving," and the dog series served as a catharsis. Christie's estimates that only six of these dog paintings remain in private hands, with the rest owned by the David Hockney Foundation. Tessa Lord, Christie's head of postwar and contemporary art, described the painting as having "incredible spontaneity" and "fluidity of brushstrokes," while also noting its rich texture and the animation in Stanley's ear flick. She believes the painting illuminates a significant chapter in Hockney's career, offering a sense of innocence and universality beyond just a portrait of a dog. The painting will be displayed at Christie's in London from October 8 and will be sold on October 14, during Frieze Week.