Amaryllis in Vase, 1985, is a vibrant lithograph by David Hockney that transforms a traditional floral still life into a dynamic exploration of colour, pattern and spatial construction. At the centre of the composition, bright red amaryllis flowers emerge from a sculptural blue vase placed upon a dark table, set against an intensely decorative pink background. The patterned wallpaper creates a rhythmic visual surface that flattens and energises the space, while the expressive lines of the flowers and leaves introduce movement and spontaneity. Through the bold contrast of saturated colours and simplified forms, Hockney reimagines the still life genre with a distinctly contemporary sensibility.
Created during the period surrounding Hockney’s Moving Focus series, the work reflects his growing fascination with alternative systems of perspective and the relationship between objects, space and perception. Rather than constructing a naturalistic interior, Hockney deliberately compresses and distorts the composition, allowing decorative pattern and colour to dominate over realism. The blue vase acts as a visual anchor within the image, balancing the energetic floral arrangement and highly stylised background. Published by Tyler Graphics in an edition of 80, Amaryllis in Vase stands as an important example of Hockney’s experimental printmaking practice during the mid-1980s, combining decorative beauty with conceptual depth.
