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Red Square and the Forbidden City

David Hockney

Artwork Details

Red Square and the Forbidden City
1982
David Hockney
lithograph on Somerset Satin rag paper
19 5/8 in x 21 7/16 in (49.85 cm x 54.45 cm);26 in x 28 in x 1 5/8 in (66.04 cm x 71.12 cm x 4.13 cm)
Gift of Gregory and Marlene Burhans
2000/2.317

Description

Subject Matter:

The image is an aerial view of Red, or Tiananmen Square. This lithograph was created by Hockney as part of a book he worked on with the writer Stephen Spender.  The book is titled China Diary, and describes the pair's travels through the country in 1981. The illustrations throughout the book, such as this one with its bright colors and bold lines, are more revealing of the artists' humor and whimsical fascination with a foreign land than they are careful descriptions of what the pair encountered during their trip.

Physical Description:

A print on paper cut in the shape of a upsidedown "T."  The fat rectangle at the bottom is nearly empty, with yellow stripes on three sides indicating walls,  The thinner rectangle at the top contains structures outlined in bright red, yellow, blue, and green.

Usage Rights:

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