David Hockney, the wizard of color, paints his latest work at eighty-eight

Published on June 12, 2026 | Translated from Spanish

The art world bids farewell to David Hockney, who has passed away at the age of 88. The British painter, known for his Californian swimming pools and Normandy landscapes, leaves a legacy of color and light. His work marked the 20th century, and his influence on visual culture is undeniable. His death closes a chapter, but his paintings will live on in museums.

David Hockney in his Normandy studio, brush in hand while applying vibrant strokes of blue and orange acrylic paint on a large canvas resting on a wooden easel, surrounded by oil paint tubes and glass jars, natural light coming through a wide window, a nearby metal stool, a palette with color stains, an atmosphere of final creation, cinematic style with pictorial texture and soft shadows, sharp focus on the artist's gesture, a visual tribute to the legacy of color.

The iPad as a brush: technology at the service of art 🎨

Hockney was not indifferent to technological development. In his later years, he abandoned oil painting to draw on iPads, using apps like Brushes to create vibrant landscapes. His series of spring in Normandy, painted digitally, demonstrated that art does not need a canvas. This technical transition expanded the reach of his work and made it more accessible, merging tradition and innovation without losing his characteristic style.

Goodbye to the brush: now only the pencil of the skies remained ✏️

Hockney left as he lived: surrounded by color and with no time for drama. They say his last request was to be buried with a charged iPad, just in case he felt the urge to paint clouds in the afterlife. Critics are already speculating whether his digital skies will have better resolution than Michelangelo's. At least, he will no longer have to deal with natural light.