One of these new paintings, Delphiniums on My Garden Table, July 2025, has as its centrepiece a lavish bouquet sent to Hockney on his 88th birthday, 9 July. This resembles a fountain of joy - or perhaps it’s thankfulness. Some time ago, Hockney confides, he reached the age at which, when he wakes up in the morning he feels grateful. (...)

Another task a camera does not do as well as human eyes and hands is to transmit the pleasure and excitement of seeing the

world – depicting those delphiniums, for example, like fireworks fizzing with beauty and energy (or the roses and lilies in other new paintings).

Excerpts from Martin Gayford, 'Lessons in Chairs - and the Joy of Delphiniums', published in 'David Hockney, Some Very, Very, Very New Paintings Not Yet Shown in Paris', Annely Juda Fine Art, 2025