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Artwork dossier

Artwork dossier: Pool

David Hockney

The full record of Pool

David Hockney, Pool. Reproduced for reference; rights reserved by the rights holder. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

Pool artwork fact sheet

Artist
David Hockney originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/david-hockney/
Artist’s dates
1937 – 2026
Movement
Abstract Expressionism Large canvases where the act of painting itself — the drip, the sweep — is the subject.
Period
Renaissance
Artistic style
Impressionistic/Expressive
Influences
Impressionism, Expressionism
Notable elements
Swirling water, stairs
Subject or theme
Water & Vegetation

Copyright This work is still under copyright. David Hockney died in 2026; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it remains in force until 2096. The image is shown here for classroom reference; rights remain with the rights holder.

Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Nov. 6, 2026

Pool — David Hockney Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Pool — David Hockney

When might this have been painted?

  1. 1930
  2. 1940
  3. 1950
  4. 1960
  5. 1970
  6. 1980
  7. 1990
  8. 2000
  9. 2010
  10. 2020

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 89 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of David Hockney (1937–2026) every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1967 Main working years: 1967–1988 Late works: from 1988

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/david-hockney-pool-AE3MGG-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Teal #1853a7

    Catalogued palette

    • #1853A7
    • #E9DFCE
    • #879DB4
    • #2D4549

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Neutrals The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Teal
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Balanced Harmony How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Brilliant How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Balanced Soft How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by David Hockney over the last twelve months — 59 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 France 15.6%16,500 visits
    2. 2 United Kingdom 13.4%14,200 visits
    3. 3 United States of America 7.7%8,100 visits
    4. 4 China 6.9%7,300 visits
    5. 5 Belgium 6.0%6,300 visits
    6. 6 Germany 6.0%6,300 visits
    7. 7 Austria 5.7%6,000 visits
    8. 8 Italy 4.5%4,800 visits
    9. 9 Spain 3.2%3,400 visits
    10. 10 Poland 2.7%2,800 visits
    11. · 49 other countries 28.3%29,900 visits

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by David Hockney

    1. 1 Garrowby hill 12.2%17,800 visits
    2. 2 A bigger splash, 1967 12.0%17,500 visits
    3. 3 Portrait of an artist pool with two figures, 1971 8.3%12,100 visits
    4. 4 Pool 2 figures 7.0%10,200 visits
    5. 5 The Road to York through Sledmere 3.6%5,200 visits
    6. 6 Late spring tunnel 3.4%5,000 visits
    7. 7 A bigger grand canyon, 1998 3.2%4,600 visits
    8. 8 The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate 3.2%4,600 visits
    9. 9 Peter Getting out of Nick's Pool 3.0%4,300 visits
    10. 10 Bigger Trees Near Warter Or Peinture Sur Le Motif Pour Le Nouvel Age Post-Photographique 2.8%4,100 visits
    11. 11 Path through wheat field 2.7%3,900 visits
    12. 12 American Collectors (Fred and Marcia Weisman), 1968 2.6%3,800 visits
    13. 13 We two boys together clinging 2.3%3,400 visits
    14. 14 Nichols canyon 2.1%3,000 visits
    15. 15 Three Trees near Thixendale 2.1%3,000 visits
    16. 16 My parents 2.0%2,900 visits
    17. 17 Man Taking Shower in Beverly Hills 2.0%2,900 visits
    18. 18 Place furstenberg, paris 1.6%2,400 visits
    19. 19 The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire May 4 1.6%2,400 visits
    20. 82 Pool this painting 0.1%100 visits

    Together these works take 77.8% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 126 works by this artist, of which 90 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 82 of them, with 0.1% of that attention (100 visits). The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Nov. 6, 2026

    Pool — David Hockney Part 2 · In context

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    David Hockney

    Born in Bradford, United Kingdom

    The Formative Years and Artistic Education

    Born in Bradford, United Kingdom, David Hockney grew up in a household of five children. His father, Kenneth Hockney, worked as an accountant's clerk and had been a conscientious objector during the Second World War, while his mother, Laura, was a Methodist and a strict vegetarian. His early years were spent in the industrial landscape of Yorkshire, characterized by brick factories and bustling markets.

    His formal training began at the Bradford School of Art from 1953 to 1957, where he focused on drawing from life and portraiture. He later moved to London to study at the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1962 with a Gold Medal distinction. During his time at the Royal College of Art, he was associated with the Pop Art movement.

    A Shift to Los Angeles and Evolving Media

    In 1964, Hockney moved to Los Angeles, a transition that altered his use of color and light. He became known for his paintings of swimming pools, often using the acrylic medium to capture vibrant colors and the movement of water. His work from this era explored the geometry of suburban life and the way light hits surfaces.

    Throughout his career, Hockney has worked across various media, including:

    His technical approach has included the use of reverse perspective and the camera lucida. In later years, he utilized digital tools such as iPads and various software to reimagine landscapes and capture shifting light.

    David Hockney study guide: keep exploring

    Every fact we hold on Pool by David Hockney, on its artwork page

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Pool

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/david-hockney-pool-AE3MGG-en/

    Citing this artwork: Pool

    MLA
    Hockney, David. Pool. n.d., https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/david-hockney-pool-AE3MGG-en/
    APA
    Hockney, David (n.d.). Pool [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/david-hockney-pool-AE3MGG-en/
    Chicago
    David Hockney. Pool. n.d. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/david-hockney-pool-AE3MGG-en/
    Harvard
    Hockney, David (n.d.) Pool. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/david-hockney-pool-AE3MGG-en/

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Nov. 6, 2026

    Pool — David Hockney Part 3 · Artist and museum

    Art quiz

    Pool — David Hockney

    How well do you know this artwork?

    Tick one answer for each of the 5 questions below. Each has exactly one correct answer.

    1. 1. The image ‘Pool’ primarily utilizes which artistic style?

      • A Realism with meticulous detail
      • B Abstract Expressionism and Impressionism
      • C Cubism, focusing on geometric forms

    2. 2. The swirling blue surface in ‘Pool’ most likely represents:

      • A A literal depiction of a swimming pool
      • B Fluidity, change, or the subconscious mind
      • C A detailed study of water refraction and light

    3. 3. David Hockney’s upbringing in Bradford significantly influenced his artistic approach by:

      • A Encouraging him to exclusively paint landscapes
      • B Instilling a keen observational eye and independent spirit
      • C Training him in classical portraiture techniques

    4. 4. The flattened perspective in ‘Pool’ contributes to which overall effect?

      • A A highly realistic representation of depth and space
      • B An emphasis on the two-dimensional surface of the artwork
      • C A dramatic, theatrical composition

    5. 5. The brushwork in ‘Pool’ suggests a technique most closely associated with:

      • A Detailed pointillism
      • B Loose, gestural application of oil paint
      • C Precise rendering using charcoal and graphite

    My score: ____ out of 5

    Answer key — for the teacher

    This starts a fresh printed page, so it can simply be left out of the copies.

    1A · 2A · 3A · 4A · 5A

    Check any answer against the catalogue record for this painting

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Nov. 6, 2026

    Pool — David Hockney Part 4 · Art quiz

    For art students and researchers

    Pool — David Hockney

    Close-looking art worksheet on Pool, for students and researchers

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: pool, water, reflection. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at Portrait of an artist pool with two figures (1971), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Abstract Expressionism: Large canvases where the act of painting itself — the drip, the sweep — is the subject. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Nov. 6, 2026

    Pool — David Hockney Part 5 · For art students and researchers

    Questions & Answers

    From which country does the Abstract Expressionism work "Pool" come?

    The Abstract Expressionism work "Pool" was made by an artist born in United Kingdom.

    What luminance does "Pool" by David Hockney have?

    The colors of "Pool" show a bright balance luminance.

    What style does "Pool" belong to?

    "Pool" is a work of Abstract Expressionism. The movement indicates the artistic tradition the work is part of.

    Is "Pool" typical of what David Hockney usually created?

    Among David Hockney's recorded themes - impressionism, pop art, abstract expressionism, mid-century leisure, american dream", domesticity, color exploration - "Pool" brings its own focus on pool, water, reflection, blue, landscape, fluidity, hockney, abstract.

    What is the art-historical place of "Pool" by David Hockney?

    "Pool" by David Hockney belongs to the Abstract Expressionism movement, within the Renaissance period. Together they give the work its place in art history.

    All the questions and answers about Pool