Image 477 David Hockney

The drawing presents a seated figure within a high-backed armchair. Executed in pen and ink on paper, it conveys a sense of immediacy and direct observation. The subject is an elderly woman, depicted from the waist up, her gaze directed towards the viewer with a quiet intensity.
Here we see a deliberate economy of line; details are suggested rather than rendered fully. The face, while recognizable as female, lacks precise features – wrinkles are indicated by rapid scribbles around the eyes and mouth, conveying age and experience without resorting to photographic realism. Her hair is depicted as a mass of short, wiry curls, sketched with quick, energetic strokes that suggest texture and volume.
The artist placed the figure centrally within the composition, emphasizing her presence. The armchair itself is rendered in similarly loose lines, its structure suggested rather than meticulously defined. This treatment contributes to an overall feeling of informality and spontaneity. The woman’s clothing – a simple t-shirt tucked into trousers held up by a belt – reinforces this sense of unstudied ordinariness. Her hands are positioned loosely on her thighs, conveying a posture of relaxed contemplation or perhaps weariness.
Subtly, the drawing hints at themes of aging and resilience. The woman’s direct gaze suggests an inner strength and acceptance of times passage. The simplicity of the setting and attire further underscores a sense of lived experience, stripped bare of artifice. There is a vulnerability present in her expression, but it is tempered by a quiet dignity.
The inscription at the bottom right corner – “M. Bedford Aug 31 1972” – provides contextual information regarding the artist and date of creation, adding another layer to the works narrative potential: a portrait created during a specific moment in time, capturing an individual’s essence with remarkable economy and sensitivity.