David Hockney’s presence in the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) of London is a highlight of both his career and the Gallery’s commitment to intimate, modern portraiture. The exhibition David Hockney: Drawing from Life, first shown briefly in 2020 and fully restaged in 2023, centers on his lifelong practice of drawing and painting the same few individuals his mother, longtime friends and muse, curators, and himself across many decades. It offers visitors a rare glimpse into how personal relationships shaped one of Britain’s greatest living artists.
The Exhibition at NPG
The exhibition brings together around 150 works, spanning from the 1950s to 2022, and explores Hockney’s methods from classic drawing to digital and acrylic painted portraits. Sections focus on five principal sitters: his mother Laura, fashion designer Celia Birtwell, printer Maurice Payne, curator and former partner Gregory Evans, and Hockney himself. In the final gallery, over 30 new painted drawings created in Normandy between 2021 and 2022 were displayed for the first time, including portraits of Harry Styles and Clive Davis
Drawing as Foundation
Hockney’s exhibition underscores his belief in drawing as essential to artistic expression. As a young student at Bradford School of Art and later at the Royal College, he cultivated precision and economy of line. Critics compare his mid70s ink drawings to the elegance of Rembrandt and Sargent
Portraits of Personal Connection
Hockney’s portraits of his closest subjects are deeply revealing. His depictions of Birtwell record evolving affection, with shifting mediums and style over decades. His mother’s portraits capture quiet dignity and introspection. Evans, first pictured in youth and later as an older man, evolves across time on the walls of NPG
New Works in Normandy
One of the exhibition’s major draws is the Normandy series painted directly from life in acrylic without underdrawing. Completed in just two or three sittings, these portraits include Harry Styles in a vivid striped cardigan, styles combining bold color with painterly immediacy. While critics note they lack the refined depth of his earlier line work, they still convey life and charm
The Art of Hockney at the NPG
- 160+ portraits: Created over six decades, primarily exploring five core sitters.
- Medium evolution: From pencil and ink to camera lucida-assisted drawings, collage, and iPad/digital works.
- Stylistic shifts: Early precision in black and white, later experimental use of digital tools and color.
- Innovative engagement: Works combining old master techniques with modern technology and personal narrative.
Critical Reception
The show received praise for its emotional intimacy and technical execution. Critics lauded Hockney’s command of drawing and line, especially in the early works. Some noted the later painted portraits lack the subtle control of earlier drawings but still maintain the artist’s warmth and inventiveness
Simon Schama described Hockney’s work as life-affirming, emphasizing pleasure and accessibility over abstraction while highlighting his capacity to combine classical artistry with creative innovation
Hockney’s Place in NPG History
The National Portrait Gallery first showed Hockney’s portraits in a major retrospective in 2006-07 and later acquired his painting SelfPortrait with Charlie, marking the first Hockney painting in the collection. The current exhibition further cements his position as one of the most important contemporary portrait painters in Britain
Why Visit Drawing from Life?
This exhibition is both retrospective and deeply personal. It takes visitors through Hockney’s artistic journey while reminding them of the power of long-term human connection. Seeing subjects revisit their own portraits creates a layered dialogue between art, memory, and identity
By centering on drawing and intimate portraits, the show offers a refreshing counterpoint to more conceptual or technology-driven exhibitions. It reminds us that even in the era of digital art, the hand, the eye, and the heart remain essential tools
The National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition of David Hockney’s portraits is a masterclass in personal depiction and artistic evolution. From early academic drawings to recent Normandy acrylics, visitors witness a life-long investigation of face, form, and emotion. Hockney’s portraits transcend mere likeness they capture intimacy, time, and change. In showing himself and those he loves with consistent devotion, he invites viewers into a world where life and art are inseparable.