Dog Wall, 1998: 15 etchings on paper by David Hockney

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David Hockney’s Dog Wall (1998) is a complete set of 15 etchings dedicated to his dachshunds, Stanley and Boodgie, among the most personal and recognisable subjects of his later work. Printed on Somerset paper with full margins, the individual compositions vary in size, with the largest measuring 45.7 × 65 cm. Produced in a small edition of just 35 sets, alongside 10 artist’s proofs, Dog Wall brings together multiple observations of the dogs rather than presenting them through a single image.

Across the 15 etchings, Hockney records Stanley and Boodgie in different poses and moments, continuing the close observation that characterised his paintings, drawings and prints of the dogs throughout the 1990s. The repetition of the subject allows subtle changes in posture, expression and composition to become the focus, while the directness of etching preserves the immediacy of Hockney’s draughtsmanship. As a complete portfolio, Dog Wall represents one of Hockney’s most extensive print projects devoted to his dachshunds and, with an edition of only 35, is notably more limited than several of his individual dog prints from the period.