David Hockney - Phillips highlights rare 1991 painting
Published on 06/24/2026 at 21:29 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
David Hockney returns to the Phillips evening sale in London with The Only One with Waves. Phillips says the 1991 painting leads its June 26 modern and contemporary auction in London, with a £1.8 million-£2.5 million estimate, according to the Phillips announcement on PR Newswire.
What the Phillips lot means
The lot is identified as The Only One with Waves from 1991. Phillips describes it as a significant painting from a decisive phase in Hockney's career, and the preview runs in the house's Berkeley Square galleries before the June 26 sale.
The estimate places the work firmly in the low seven-figure tier. For collectors, that matters because it keeps Hockney in a market band where trophy pictures still draw institutional and private attention.
Why Hockney still matters at auction
Hockney's market continues to balance blue-chip recognition with period-specific demand. A 1991 canvas such as this one speaks to the late twentieth-century phase that remains central to his auction profile.
The Phillips lot also fits the broader auction logic around recognizable images and dated, historically legible paintings. That combination often matters more than scale alone.
All news and background on David Hockney
More reporting on exhibitions, auctions and collections helps place the Phillips sale in Hockney's longer market history.
The work core
David Hockney's practice spans painting, drawing, printmaking and digital image-making. Key work groups include joiners, pool paintings and landscape pictures, all marked by clear color and a sharp sense of looking.
That range explains why his paintings move easily between art-historical status and market visibility. The same clarity that defines the work also makes individual images easy to place in public memory.
What comes next
David Hockney is set for the Phillips sale in London on June 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM BST.
Key facts on David Hockney
- Artist: David Hockney
- Medium / Genre: Painting (modern and contemporary)
- Born: 1937, Bradford, England
- Place(s) of practice: England and Normandy
- Active since: 1950s
- Key work groups: joiners, pool paintings, landscape paintings
- Current/last exhibition: David Hockney 25 - Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris
- Major collections: Tate, MoMA, Centre Pompidou, Guggenheim
- Awards: Order of Merit, 2012
- Next date: June 26, 2026, Phillips London, 2:00 PM BST
Frequently asked questions about David Hockney
What is David Hockney offering at Phillips in London?
The Only One with Waves, a 1991 painting, leads the June 26 modern and contemporary sale with a £1.8 million-£2.5 million estimate.
Where is David Hockney currently on view?
His work is listed in the context of David Hockney 25 at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.
What is David Hockney's next dated appearance?
Phillips schedules the London sale for June 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM BST.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
Disclaimer regarding our articles: No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Information on prices, companies, and markets is provided without guarantee; changes are possible at any time. Stock market transactions can lead to substantial losses. Our articles are created and reviewed in whole or in part automatically with the support of AI.
