New World Record for Arrival of Spring Series

Arrival of Spring 17th May

iPad drawing printed on paper, 55in x 41.5 In

Edition of 25

©David Hockney

On 17th October 2025, seventeen David Hockney's Arrival of Spring iPads went to auction at Sotheby's London. So many from the series being sold in a single sale had market insiders feeling nervous. In the run-up to the sale, Sotheby's executed a slick marketing campaign, drawing in huge international attention. When it came down to the bidding, a frenzy erupted, with the previous auction record being eclipsed by seven of the Sotheby's lots. By the close of the sale, the new world record sat at £762,000 GBP, for The Arrival of Spring, 19th February.

What could have been, and was expected to be, a market cool-off caused by an oversupply instead ignited demand, transforming the market in the complete opposite direction.

Enquire
Top 3 Record Results
David Hockney 25' landmark exhibition

Image taken at ©Fondation Louis Vuttion

background to the sale

The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate series was created by David Hockney in 2011, with 49 regular-sized editions (55" x 41.5") and 12 large-scale editions (93" x 70") released in 2014. Originally priced at roughly £19,000 on the primary market, the auction market began forming in 2017, with results ranging between $25,000 and $73,000 during this year. After a year of steady results, confidence in the market began to grow. The next major shift came during COVID, when demand surged through online sales.

In September 2022, a new milestone was hit when Phillips London sold two regular-sized The Arrival of Spring for £315,000 and £340,200. This triggered a wave of supply entering the market and prices dipping the following year. By 2025, prices and supply had stabilised with works on the private market selling in the £180,000 - £230,000 range. In April 2025, Hockney opened his ‘biggest and best’ exhibition to date at Fondation Louis Vuitton, which fuelled the market throughout the year and perfectly set the stage for Sotheby’s October sale.
The Sotheby’s Arrival of Spring sale was set during London’s Frieze Art Fair week. In the lead-up, the auction house secured features in major publications as well as through a high-budget social media campaign. As the news broke, word of mouth quickly spread and details of the sale circulated widely. Ultimately, the timing worked in Sotheby’s favour: the Hockney market already had strong momentum, and Sotheby’s effective marketing drove the intense competition seen on the day.

Full Breakdown of Auction Results: The Arrival of Spring at Sotheby’s

Title	Estimate	Realised Price
The Arrival of Spring, 11th May, 2011	£120,000 -£180,000	£279,400
The Arrival of Spring, 17th May, 2011	£80,000 - £120,000	£419,100
The Arrival of Spring, 3rd January, 2011	£120,000 - £180,000	£254,000
The Arrival of Spring, 15th March, 2011	£100,000 - £150,000	£215,900
The Arrival of Spring, 2nd June, 2011	£120,000 - £180,000	£635,000
The Arrival of Spring, 4th January, 2011	£100,000 - £150,000	£304,800
The Arrival of Spring, 28th April, 2011	£120,000 - £180,000	£698,500
The Arrival of Spring, 4th May, 2011	£120,000 - £180,000	£330,200
The Arrival of Spring, 16th March, 2011	£100,000 - £150,000	£330,200
The Arrival of Spring, 30th April, 2011	£80,000 - £120,000	£190,500
The Arrival of Spring, 12th April No.2, 2011	£100,000 - £150,000	£203,200
The Arrival of Spring, 24th April, 2011	£80,000 - £120,000	£152,400
The Arrival of Spring, 27th April, 2011	£80,000 - £120,000	£406,400
The Arrival of Spring, 12th April No.1, 2011	£100,000 - £150,000	£241,300
The Arrival of Spring, 19th February, 2011	£120,000 - £180,000	£762,000
The Arrival of Spring, 1st January, 2011	£120,000 - £180,000	£381,000
The Arrival of Spring, 22nd March, 2011	£80,000 - £120,000	£406,400