{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O158984"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O158984/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BW8095/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BW8095/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009BW8095","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O158984","accessionNumber":"CIRC.697-1968","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"Cavafy II","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Although commonly grouped with the Pop artists who emerged in Britain in the 1960s, David Hockney was less influenced in his image making by mass media, advertising and the consumer society than by his private life (his imagery often focuses on friends and familiar places), traditional literature and gay culture. The  Alexandria-born Greek Cavafy, whom he discovered in 1960, was one of his favourite poets. In 1966 Hockney travelled to Beirut  in search of the kind of atmosphere he imagined Alexandria would have had at the time when Cavafy was writing there. However the images which he ultimately made to illustrate a selection of Cavafy's poems are mostly of  young male couples which could have been made in many places apart from Egypt in the early 20th century. It is their simplicity and  frankness which reflect the quality of Cavafy's writing which appealed to Hockney. The portrait of the poet sets the scene for the ensuing illustrations. Hockney made this image as an alternative to the one which he finally chose for the published edition of  fourteen poems.","physicalDescription":"In lower right corner of image, in foreground, head and shoulders of a long headed, black haired man, eyes slightly cast down, wearing collar and tie. Immediately behind him is the simple outline of a car and behind that, in the background, a building, possibly a mosque?, with a flight of steps leading up to its entrance and a palm tree on either side of these. Over the entrance to the building a plaque, with a short inscription on it in Arabic.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Hockney, David","id":"A4233"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Editions Alecto Ltd.","id":"A22811"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"x32600"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"aquatint","id":"AAT53242"},{"text":"etching","id":"AAT53241"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Etching and aquatint on paper","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Gender and Sexuality","id":"THES48940"},{"text":"LGBTQ","id":"THES266921"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2009BW8095"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"MP","shelf":"207","box":"A"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"United Kingdom","id":"x29336"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1966","earliest":"1966-01-01","latest":"1966-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"CIRC.514-1968","id":"O163864"},"association":"Version"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"56.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"40.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"sheet","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"34.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"plate","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"22.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"plate","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"David Hockney 66","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"signed and dated in pencil below plate, at right."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"By David Hockney: 'Cavafy II', illustration to 14 Poems by C.P. Cavafy. Etching, 1966","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Andrew Brighton: David Hockney Prints 1954-1977[Catalogue Raisonne]. Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham/ Scottish Arts Council. 1979.  no. 59"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1968"}],"production":"This portrait of the poet C.P.Cavafy was made as an alternative to the one which accompanies:  Fourteen Poems by C.P. Cavafy. Chosen and Illustrated with twelve etchings by David Hockney. Translated by Nikos Stangos and Stephen Spender.  Published by Editions Alecto Limited, London 1967.  A full set of the illustrations, including the portrait, are in the Museum Collection: Circ.514-525-1968","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Alexandria","id":"x28716"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Cavafy","id":"N7541"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"poet","id":"AAT25513"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"poetry","id":"AAT55931"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Fourteen Poems by C.P. Cavafy. Chosen and illustrated with twelve etchings by David Hockney. Translated by Stephen Spender and Nikos Stangos. Published by Editions Alecto Ltd., London 1967"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CIRC.697-1968"],"accessionNumberNum":"697","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1968,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"none","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-01","recordCreationDate":"2008-07-11","availableToBook":false}}