Early in his career, David Hockney produced a series of prints titled The Blue Guitar. Created in the autumn of 1976 and spring of 1977, these etchings were inspired by poet Wallace Stevens' The Man with the Blue Guitar (1937), which Stevens wrote in response to Pablo Picasso’s famous painting The Old Guitarist (1903).

From this short excerpt of Stevens’ poem, one can grasp the abundant imagery that evoked Hockney to create these works:

First one beam, then another, then
A thousand are radiant in the sky.

Each is both star and orb; and day
Is the riches of their atmosphere

The sea appends its tattery hues.
The shores are banks of muffling mist.

One says a German chandelier––
A candle is enough to light the world.

It makes it clear. Even at noon
It glistens in essential dark.

At night, it lights the fruit and wine,
The book and bread, things as they are,

In a chiaroscuro where
One sits and plays the blue guitar.

L.A. Louver had the opportunity to include these etchings (featured above), along with additional drawings and prints by Hockney in his first solo show at the gallery in 1978. Visit our website to see more works from this early exhibition.