Rare David Hockney artwork painted at 19 sells for £40,000 after artist's death
A rare early work by Bradford-born artist David Hockney, created when he was just 19, has sold for £40,000 at auction just days after news of his death.
"Bolton Junction Eccleshill, Bradford", a mixed media work painted by Hockney in 1954, went under the hammer at Tennants Auctioneers' Modern and Contemporary Art Sale on June 13.
The artwork attracted national and international interest before the sale and was eventually bought for £40,000.
The painting was purchased directly from Hockney at his end-of-year show at Bradford Regional College of Art by Malcolm Riley, a tutor at the college and the father of the vendor.
Created when Hockney was a teenager, the work depicts everyday scenes around Bradford at a time when the future art world giant was studying at Bradford Regional College of Art, having persuaded his parents to allow him to leave grammar school at 16 to pursue a career in art.
Malcolm Riley taught Hockney perspective during his time at the college, and auctioneers noted that the lessons were evident in the painting's composition and depiction of space.
Tennants Modern & Contemporary Art Specialist Francesca Young said of the sale: “It has been a somewhat poignant honour to handle the sale of Bolton Junction, Eccleshill by David Hockney, with the auction taking place less than a day after the news of his death broke. Hockney was not only one of the greatest British artists of the 20th century, but a true Yorkshire icon.
“We had seen considerable national and international interest in the painting in the weeks leading up to the sale, which it well deserved. Some of the interest came from the region, including from Bradford itself.
“Despite his global success, he remained a humble character and a true Yorkshireman, which has endeared him to hearts of the people of Yorkshire.”
The sale also featured a number of works by northern artists.
Pieces by mining artist Norman Cornish proved popular with buyers, with Miners Going to Work selling for £3,200, The Gantry achieving £2,400 and Bar Maid selling for £1,800.
Three works by Huddersfield-born contemporary artist Maxwell Doig were offered, with Late Afternoon, Flamborough Head Lighthouse selling for £4,200.
Other notable sales included Fred Yates' The Passing Train, which sold for £5,200, while two portraits by Joash Woodrow achieved £1,550 each.
Works by Yorkshire artist Fred Cecil Jones also performed strongly, with Tadcaster, Yorkshire selling for £2,200 and Pudsey between Leeds and Bradford reaching £2,000.
The auction additionally featured ceramics by Pablo Picasso, including Wood-Owl, which sold for £3,500, and Tête Polychrome, which achieved £3,800. David Shepherd's Elephant Amongst Foliage sold for £6,500.