1 | Page
12.3 First Phase: written research
12.3.1 Compulsory task 23: Research artists and vocabulary in
the workbook
1. David Hockney
- Artwork: "Bigger Trees Near Warter"
Bigger Trees Near Warter or ou Peinture en Plein Air pour l'age Post-
Photographique is a large landscape painting by British artist David
Hockney. Measuring 460 by 1,220 centimetres or 180 by 480 inches,[2] it
depicts a coppice near Warter, Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire
and is the largest painting Hockney has completed.[3]
It was painted in the East Riding of Yorkshire between February and March
2007.[3] The painting's alternative title alludes to the technique Hockney
used to create the work, a combination of painting out of doors and in
front of the subject (called in French 'sur le motif') whilst also using the
techniques of digital photography.[4]
The painting, a landscape near the village of Warter, between Bridlington
and York, is set just before the arrival of spring when trees are coming into
leaf. The painting is dominated by a large sycamore which features in 30
of the 50 panels. In the shallow foreground space a copse of tall trees and
some daffodils stand on slightly raised ground. Another, denser copse is
visible in the background. A road to the extreme left and two buildings to
the right and rear of the composition offer signs of human habitation.
Much of the painting's extensive upper half is devoted to the intricate
pattern of overlapping branches, clearly delineated against a pale winter
sky.
Background
Although Hockney has lived in Los Angeles since 1978, he always returned
to spend Christmas at his mother's house in Bridlington. From 2004
onwards he spent increasing lengths of time in Yorkshire; the rolling chalk
hills around Bridlington became the focus of his art. In 2006 he made a
,2 | Page
series of nine large landscapes of Woldgate Woods, returning to the same
spot between March and November to chart the changing seasons. Each
of these works consisted of up to six panels.[3]
On a trip to Los Angeles in February 2007, looking at images of his
Woldgate Woods paintings, Hockney had the idea of working up the same
scene over a much bigger scale. He had to work out how to complete this
project without a ladder and in the small space of his studio in Bridlington.
"The enormous 19th-century oil paintings like The Coronation of Napoleon
in the Louvre were made in specially designed studios." Because of space
considerations, Hockney had to avoid working on a ladder or on
scaffolding: "The trouble is that with something like this you need to step
back. Artists have been killed stepping back from ladders."[5]
"Then I realised it was possible to make a single picture that size," he
says, "using computer technology to help you see what you are doing. I
thought, my God, it would be enormous, but that it would be good on the
end wall of the largest gallery at the Royal Academy. I'd found a way to do
an eye-catching landscape for the Summer Exhibition. It was quite a
challenge."[3]
Only six weeks after his idea in Los Angeles, the painting was completed.
The first three weeks were spent organising the project, "The logistics
were quite something." His usual procedure when working in the
landscape is to load a pickup truck with paints and materials and drive to
the location. In addition, a special rack had to be constructed capable of
storing 50 wet canvases.[3]
The painting itself was essentially completed in a three-week period in
March 2007. "The painting had to be done in one go. Once I started, I had
to carry on until it was finished," says Hockney. "The deadline wasn't the
Royal Academy. The deadline was the arrival of spring, which changes
things. The motif is one thing in winter, but in summer it's one solid mass
of foliage – so you can't see inside and it's not as interesting to me." The
solution was to sketch a grid showing how the scene would fit together
over 50 panels. Each individual panel was painted in situ and as they were
completed his assistant, Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima, would digitally
photograph them and then make them into a computer mosaic. With this
mosaic he could chart his progress, since he could have only six panels on
the wall at any one time. Gradually, with the help of the constantly
updated computer mosaic, Hockney built up the picture.
, 3 | Page
2. Michael Raedecker
- Artwork: Overnight 1998
"Overnight" is a notable artwork by Michael Raedecker, a Dutch artist
known for his unique approach to painting. This piece, created in 1998,
exemplifies Raedecker's signature style, which combines traditional
painting techniques with elements of embroidery and textile art.
Description
The artwork "Overnight" typically features a blend of acrylic paint and
thread on canvas. Raedecker's use of thread creates a three-dimensional
effect, adding depth and texture to the composition. The subject matter
often includes domestic scenes or landscapes, with a focus on mundane
yet evocative details.
Style and Themes
Raedecker's work is characterized by a sense of ambiguity and
introspection. "Overnight" and his other pieces often convey a sense of
quiet unease or melancholy, inviting viewers to contemplate the
underlying emotions and narratives within the seemingly ordinary
settings.
Influence and Impact
Raedecker's innovative fusion of painting and textile art has garnered
significant attention in the contemporary art world. His work has been
12.3 First Phase: written research
12.3.1 Compulsory task 23: Research artists and vocabulary in
the workbook
1. David Hockney
- Artwork: "Bigger Trees Near Warter"
Bigger Trees Near Warter or ou Peinture en Plein Air pour l'age Post-
Photographique is a large landscape painting by British artist David
Hockney. Measuring 460 by 1,220 centimetres or 180 by 480 inches,[2] it
depicts a coppice near Warter, Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire
and is the largest painting Hockney has completed.[3]
It was painted in the East Riding of Yorkshire between February and March
2007.[3] The painting's alternative title alludes to the technique Hockney
used to create the work, a combination of painting out of doors and in
front of the subject (called in French 'sur le motif') whilst also using the
techniques of digital photography.[4]
The painting, a landscape near the village of Warter, between Bridlington
and York, is set just before the arrival of spring when trees are coming into
leaf. The painting is dominated by a large sycamore which features in 30
of the 50 panels. In the shallow foreground space a copse of tall trees and
some daffodils stand on slightly raised ground. Another, denser copse is
visible in the background. A road to the extreme left and two buildings to
the right and rear of the composition offer signs of human habitation.
Much of the painting's extensive upper half is devoted to the intricate
pattern of overlapping branches, clearly delineated against a pale winter
sky.
Background
Although Hockney has lived in Los Angeles since 1978, he always returned
to spend Christmas at his mother's house in Bridlington. From 2004
onwards he spent increasing lengths of time in Yorkshire; the rolling chalk
hills around Bridlington became the focus of his art. In 2006 he made a
,2 | Page
series of nine large landscapes of Woldgate Woods, returning to the same
spot between March and November to chart the changing seasons. Each
of these works consisted of up to six panels.[3]
On a trip to Los Angeles in February 2007, looking at images of his
Woldgate Woods paintings, Hockney had the idea of working up the same
scene over a much bigger scale. He had to work out how to complete this
project without a ladder and in the small space of his studio in Bridlington.
"The enormous 19th-century oil paintings like The Coronation of Napoleon
in the Louvre were made in specially designed studios." Because of space
considerations, Hockney had to avoid working on a ladder or on
scaffolding: "The trouble is that with something like this you need to step
back. Artists have been killed stepping back from ladders."[5]
"Then I realised it was possible to make a single picture that size," he
says, "using computer technology to help you see what you are doing. I
thought, my God, it would be enormous, but that it would be good on the
end wall of the largest gallery at the Royal Academy. I'd found a way to do
an eye-catching landscape for the Summer Exhibition. It was quite a
challenge."[3]
Only six weeks after his idea in Los Angeles, the painting was completed.
The first three weeks were spent organising the project, "The logistics
were quite something." His usual procedure when working in the
landscape is to load a pickup truck with paints and materials and drive to
the location. In addition, a special rack had to be constructed capable of
storing 50 wet canvases.[3]
The painting itself was essentially completed in a three-week period in
March 2007. "The painting had to be done in one go. Once I started, I had
to carry on until it was finished," says Hockney. "The deadline wasn't the
Royal Academy. The deadline was the arrival of spring, which changes
things. The motif is one thing in winter, but in summer it's one solid mass
of foliage – so you can't see inside and it's not as interesting to me." The
solution was to sketch a grid showing how the scene would fit together
over 50 panels. Each individual panel was painted in situ and as they were
completed his assistant, Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima, would digitally
photograph them and then make them into a computer mosaic. With this
mosaic he could chart his progress, since he could have only six panels on
the wall at any one time. Gradually, with the help of the constantly
updated computer mosaic, Hockney built up the picture.
, 3 | Page
2. Michael Raedecker
- Artwork: Overnight 1998
"Overnight" is a notable artwork by Michael Raedecker, a Dutch artist
known for his unique approach to painting. This piece, created in 1998,
exemplifies Raedecker's signature style, which combines traditional
painting techniques with elements of embroidery and textile art.
Description
The artwork "Overnight" typically features a blend of acrylic paint and
thread on canvas. Raedecker's use of thread creates a three-dimensional
effect, adding depth and texture to the composition. The subject matter
often includes domestic scenes or landscapes, with a focus on mundane
yet evocative details.
Style and Themes
Raedecker's work is characterized by a sense of ambiguity and
introspection. "Overnight" and his other pieces often convey a sense of
quiet unease or melancholy, inviting viewers to contemplate the
underlying emotions and narratives within the seemingly ordinary
settings.
Influence and Impact
Raedecker's innovative fusion of painting and textile art has garnered
significant attention in the contemporary art world. His work has been
