See Celia

Celia Birtwell, celebrated textiles designer, has been David Hockney’s muse since 1968. Hockney was one of the two guests present at her wedding to the famous fashion designer Ossie Clark: a marriage which, though brief, fuelled a stylistic partnership which helped to define the culture of 1960s couture. 

It was during the early ‘70s that Hockney painted Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy which today remains one of the most viewed paintings in the Tate Britain gallery. In 2005 it was short listed for the title, ‘The Greatest British Painting’ on the BBC’s Today programme. After Celia and Ossie divorced, Celia worked as a paid model for Hockney in Los Angeles and came to be called “the face that launched a thousand prints”.

The etching we have is entitled Soft Celia and dates from 1998. It carries something of the warm and lasting friendship that exists between the artist and his subject.
 

For Soft Celia’s soft furnishings click here.
 
For Hockney’s cushions, take a seat here.