'I knew I had a star on my hands straight away'
—John KasminIn 1961, David Hockney showed a handful of works in the annual ‘Young Contemporaries’ exhibition at the Royal Society of British Artists. Among those works exhibited was a canvas titled Doll Boy (1960-61), which was purchased for £40 by a young art dealer named John Kasmin. Following stints at Gallery One and Kaplan Gallery in the late 1950s, Kasmin worked for Marlborough in 1961, and purchased Doll Boy after identifying Hockney’s work as the best on view at the Royal Society. After failing to encourage Marlborough to take an interest in the young Hockney, Kasmin parted ways with the gallery and set up his own enterprise. Hockney was one of the first artist’s he approached independently. In a career-defining moment for both artist and dealer, Hockney signed a forward-dated contract to be represented by Kasmin for three years, which would come into effect when he left college. From this moment on, Kasmin became an immensely significant and influential figure in Hockney’s career.
'If you have someone who is keen on your work, you should follow them. It was exciting for me. John Kasmin was incredibly energetic, and I quickly noticed that he had a good eye, especially for drawings. He was an interesting man, very knowledgeable about pictures, and I was part of his eccentric taste' —David Hockney
John Kasmin in his gallery, 1965. Image: Graham Keen / Topfoto. In the summers of the late 1960s and early 1970s, Kasmin and his family rented a house in Carennac, a medieval village on the banks of the River Dordogne in France. Every year, the house was frequented by influential figures of the London art scene, including Hockney. While visiting in August 1970, Hockney captured the studious face of Kasmin as he read. In this ink drawing, Hockney depicts Kasmin’s upper body in careful, simplified lines, which contrast with the heavily marked surface of the dealer’s face. Focusing intently on capturing Kasmin’s facial features, Hockney also made sure to emphasise the black thick-rimmed glasses that Kasmin famously sported. Attesting to the importance of the dealer’s role in Hockney’s career, this intimate drawing also underscores their close relationship.
Provenance
Galerie Otto Stangl, Munich
Private Collection, Berlin (acquired from the above in 1975)
Private Collection, LondonArtist Biography
David Hockney
David Hockney (b. 1937) is one of the most well-known and celebrated artists of the
20th and 21st centuries. He works across many mediums, including painting, collage,
and more recently digitally, by creating print series on iPads. His works show semi-
abstract representations of domestic life, human relationships, floral, fauna, and the
changing of seasons.
Hockney has exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Royal
Academy of Arts in London, and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, among many
other institutions. On the secondary market, his work has sold for more than $90
million.
56
Kasmin Reading. Carennac. August 1970
1970
Pen and ink drawing on wove paper, with additional crossed-out ink drawing on the reverse.
42.9 x 35.1 cm (16 7/8 x 13 7/8 in.)
Signed with initials, titled and dated 'D.H Kasmin reading. Carennac August 1970' in black ink, framed.
Estimate
£20,000 - 30,000 ‡♠
Sold for £52,920
Robert Kennan
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David Hockney
London Auction 13 September 2022
