David Hockney Chair with a Horse Drawn by Picasso 1970 Art Print

In 1970, David Hockney paid a playful tribute to the legacy of modernism by placing a literal drawing on the wall behind his subject in This print. The composition centers on a richly textured purple armchair with wooden frame detailing, set against a two-tone background of muted sea-foam green and deep teal. Hovering on the wall behind the furniture is a minimalist, Picasso-inspired line drawing of a horse and rider, creating a meta-textual dialogue between two of the twentieth century’s most influential artists. The top of the print features bold, red san-serif typography that contrasts with the pale cream border of the exhibition-style design.

Looking at this piece evokes a sense of intellectual curiosity and artistic reverence. It captures a specific moment in art history where Hockney was examining his own influences, blending his characteristic interest in interior spaces with the skeletal, expressive linework of the cubist master. The mood is one of quiet contemplation, where the stillness of the furniture meets the dynamic, gestural energy of the background sketch. It represents the quiet conversation that happens in a studio between the painter and the history of the medium.

Those drawn to mid century modern art will recognise the appeal here, much as they would in our david hockney posters.