DAVID HOCKNEY, O.M., C.H., R.A. (B.1937) Pool made with paper and blue ink signed and dated ‘David Hockney 80’ (lower right), numbered ‘164/1000’ (lower left) lithograph in colours on wove paper 10 ¼ x 8 ½ in. (26 x 21.9 cm.) Artist's Resale Right may apply on this lot. Sold together with the accompanying book ‘Paper Pools’, signed by the artist in red ink and stamp numbered ‘164’ on the justification with original slip case. ‘I kept looking at the swimming pool; and it’s a wonderful subject, water, the light on the water. It dawned on me that the swimming pool was a much more interesting subject. The point about water is you can look at it in so many different ways; its’s always different’ David Hockney Hockney first visited Los Angeles in 1963 and was immediately captivated by the bold colours and widespread luxury and the relaxed sensual way of life. Private swimming pools were rare in Britain and he was amazed to discover almost everybody had them in California and, because of the climate, they could be used all year round. His attempt to capture the ever-changing quality of water has been the subject of some of his most iconic works, including Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), which recently became the most valuable work of art by a living artist sold at auction, achieving a staggering $90.3 million (£70.3 m). Paper Pools is a hand-drawn lithograph representing a diving board and swimming pool. Here the watery wavy marks overlay the deeper overlapping shadows and create a depth of surface, capturing the gently rippling surface of the water. The bright colours of the grass and the diving board carry the joyful leisurely way of life Hockney was so captivated by. The artist masterfully uses lithographic mark-making, creating a beautiful composition full of life. The work was produced to celebrate the publication of the book titled Paper Pools, also part of the lot, that focuses on paper pulp printing, a particular process of print making Hockney was introduced to on a visit to the Tyler Graphic Studios in New York in 1978. A cross between paper-making, print-making and painting, the process involves dying wet pulp rags, which are then applied to recently created, still wet, paper until they are fully pressed and dried together. Hockney was fascinated by the process, finding it particularly liberating and explored it in detail in the book, illustrating and reflecting on it in his own words. Created in this period of re-invention, the current work possesses a special place in Hockney’s output -  it both encompasses his favoured theme and celebrates the artist’s constant strive for innovation, something that has certainly defined him as one of the most exciting artists of our time.