Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: A Bigger Splash by David Hockney

Candy Bedworth 26 June 2022 min Read

David Hockney is one of Britain’s most well-known and influential artists. His iconic style is instantly recognizable. As you hunch over your work, dreaming of a summer break, let’s take a look at his painting, A Bigger Splash.

David Hockney, A Bigger Splash, 1967, Tate Gallery, London, UK.
David Hockney, A Bigger Splash, 1967, Tate Gallery, London, UK.

Gaze into the image above. Can you hear the sound of that water, cascading back into the pool as the unknown diver breaks the surface? We can’t see the swimmer – we’ve arrived just too late – everything is hidden by the splash and the water is completely opaque.

David Hockney, Peter Getting Out Of Nick's Pool, 1967, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK.
David Hockney, Peter Getting Out Of Nick’s Pool, 1967, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK.

Hockney liked to paint images that were pleasing and relaxing. His swimming pool paintings feel like a protected world. The precise lines, the sharply defined colors, and the absence of distracting details let our eyes rest and our minds daydream. Are we in California? At the home of some famous celebrity, enjoying the sun and the clear blue sky? As the viewer stands before A Bigger Splash, they are at the edge of the diving board, being led into a glamorous, fantasy paradise.

David Hockney, Nathan Swimming Los Angeles 11th March 1982, 1982, Tate, London, UK.

Visiting California regularly in the 1960s, Hockney set up a permanent home there in 1976, drawn by the climate and the relaxed way of life. In his swimming pool paintings, Hockney is capturing a moment in time. That water effect in A Bigger Splash would last just a few seconds. Hockney said that he loved the idea of taking two weeks to paint something that lasted only for a very short time.

But has this image become a cliché? The painting A Bigger Splash has been reproduced on trays, tea towels, T-shirts, and bags. Is it more like a promotional advert than a work of art? Is this clean, flat world devoid of emotion? That’s for you to decide. But isn’t it lovely to gaze upon during these summer days?

Recommended

Beatriz Milhazes, Sonho Tropical, 2017, White Cube Gallery, London, UK. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Sonho Tropical by Beatriz Milhazes

Sonho Tropical is a visual feast of abstract art infused with the passion for a Brazilian landscape. Beatriz Milhazes fuses European modernity with...

James W Singer 13 March 2023

Aaron Douglas, Judgment Day, 1939, oil on tempered hardboard, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Judgement Day by Aaron Douglas

Judgment Day by Aaron Douglas is a masterpiece of Black history. It encapsulates the dynamic culture of the Harlem Renaissance through its striking...

James W Singer 27 February 2023

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City, 1885, White House, Washington DC, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City by Henry Ossawa Tanner

Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City is a masterpiece of Black art and history. It was painted by Henry Ossawa Tanner during a time of incredible...

James W Singer 13 February 2023

Ten Symbols of Longevity, Joseon Dynasty, ca 1866-1910, ink and color on silk, Ewha Womans University Museum, Seoul, South Korea. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Ten Symbols of Longevity

Ten Symbols of Longevity is a landscape masterpiece of Korean art. It is a beautiful world filled with earthly perfection and cosmic energy. The...

James W Singer 30 January 2023