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David Hockney OM, CH, RA (b.1937) "Woman with a Sewing Machine" (1954) Lithograph in colours, 23cm by 37.5cm Provenance: The Estate of David George Fawcett ATD, FRSA (1935-1973) Thence by descent In 1954 a young Hockney, much enthused by starting at Bradford College of Art the previous year, drew and painted scenes of everyday life around his home in Bradford. Thus it was subjects close to his heart that he chose for his first tentative steps into print making, which resulted in his early lithographs: “Self Portrait”, “Fish and Chip Shop” (depicting The Sea Catch, Eccleshill, Bradford), and the present “Woman with a Sewing Machine”, for which his own mother, Laura, modelled.Loosely based on the front room in his family home, Hockney depicts his mother seated with hands clasped and looking calmly at the viewer, behind a hand-operated sewing machine amongst a riot of pattern and colour. Comprising six coloured inks (red, yellow, blue, green, pink and black), Hockney adds complexity with surface pattern rather than depth of space. The intricate checked blue, white and muted green fire surround frames the red and yellow block of his mother’s blouse, whilst the yellow and red wallpaper offsets the black sewing machine. The design is unified by detailed and precise drawing.The image reflects the exuberance of the artist aged just 17, filled with possibilities and the joy of being allowed to spend his days at college exploring the world of art. Learning about great artists that came before him, he was perhaps inspired by the likes of Edouard Vuillard, who produced intimate domestic scenes, filled with pattern and texture, that featured his mother, a seamstress.This lithograph was once owned by Bradford-born artist David George Fawcett, with whom Hockney was at school both at Bradford Grammar School and at Bradford College of Art. Fawcett went on to gain his teaching diploma at Birmingham Regional College of Art before moving to Kent where he taught at Deal Grammar School and Folkestone and Dover Art Colleges. Hockney and Fawcett shared a studio for a time in Kent, and Hockney was best man for Fawcett at his wedding. Fawcett worked in an impressionistic style, and exhibited at the Paris Salon and the Royal Academy, but sadly died in a plane crash in 1973. The print has good colour depth. The paper is hinged at the top edge to the back of the mount board. Slight time staining to the paper, particulary to the outer edges/margins where covered with the mount. Slight handling creases to the outer edges and a crease approximately 10cm horizontal to the top of the wallpaper, below the picture. Brown stains to the paper, in particular to the outer edges and reverse, areas to the top margin extreme right, within his mother's forhead and hair, to her hands and below this and the odd more scattered sporadic foxing spot. See additional images.
