Series · David Hockney
The Yosemite Suite
The Yosemite Suite by David Hockney
Towering granite cliffs, waterfalls disappearing into mist, ancient sequoias and shifting Californian light define David Hockney’s Yosemite Suite. Rather than documenting Yosemite National Park with photographic realism, Hockney distils each scene into vibrant colour, expressive line and layered perspective, creating landscapes that feel alive with movement and atmosphere.
The series demonstrates how naturally Hockney adapted to drawing on the iPad. Working digitally allowed him to respond quickly to changing light and weather, building compositions outdoors before producing limited edition prints that retained the immediacy of the original drawings.
Unlike Hockney’s swimming pools or Yorkshire landscapes, the Yosemite Suite focuses on one of the world’s most celebrated natural environments. The works balance the monumentality of the landscape with the intimacy of direct observation, offering collectors a body of work that represents both technological innovation and a lifelong fascination with landscape.
About The Series
Hockney first visited Yosemite National Park in 2010 before returning in 2011 to continue exploring its dramatic scenery. Although the park had long inspired photographers and painters, including Ansel Adams and Albert Bierstadt, Hockney approached it through an entirely contemporary medium: the iPad.
Rather than treating the device as a substitute for traditional drawing, he embraced its possibilities. Working directly on location, he produced vivid digital compositions that captured fleeting changes in colour, light and atmosphere without the practical limitations of carrying paints or preparing canvases.
The project formed part of a broader period in which Hockney was experimenting extensively with digital technology. Having already embraced the iPhone and iPad as creative tools, the Yosemite Suite demonstrated that digital drawing could sit comfortably alongside painting, printmaking and photography within his wider practice.
The resulting editions helped redefine perceptions of digital art in the contemporary market. Rather than being viewed as reproductions, these works were conceived as original artworks from the outset before being published as carefully controlled signed editions. Today, the series is regarded as one of the defining examples of Hockney’s embrace of new technology while remaining rooted in his enduring interest in landscape.
Editions And Variations
The Yosemite Suite comprises 29 signed limited editions, divided across two distinct formats.
The main body of the series consists of 24 regular-format prints, each measuring approximately 37 × 28 inches and issued in editions of 25. These works were produced from Hockney’s original iPad drawings and printed on paper, making them the editions most frequently encountered on the secondary market.
Complementing these are five monumental Yosemite compositions produced at approximately 93 × 70 inches (with one slightly smaller variation). These were issued in much smaller editions of 12 and mounted on Dibond panels, giving the works a more architectural presence while making them considerably rarer than the standard editions.
All published editions are signed and numbered by the artist. The combination of relatively modest edition sizes and the growing recognition of Hockney’s digital practice has contributed to sustained collector demand, particularly for the large-format works, which appear at auction only infrequently.
Collecting The Yosemite Suite
The Yosemite Suite occupies an important position within Hockney’s career because it captures a moment when one of Britain’s most established artists embraced an entirely new way of making art without abandoning the qualities that define his work.
For collectors, the series represents far more than digital experimentation. The landscapes maintain Hockney’s unmistakable understanding of colour, perspective and seasonal change while documenting one of America’s most recognisable natural environments. That combination appeals both to long-standing Hockney collectors and to buyers interested in landmark works exploring the relationship between art and technology.
The regular editions offer an accessible entry point into one of Hockney’s most celebrated later series, while the large-format editions are considerably scarcer and rarely become available. Their scale, edition size and museum-quality presentation have helped establish them as some of the most desirable digital works in Hockney’s market.
As institutions continue to examine the role of digital media within contemporary art, the Yosemite Suite has become increasingly significant as an early demonstration that digital drawing could produce enduring, collectible editions worthy of major public and private collections.
Notable Auction Results
The Yosemite Suite has developed a strong auction history, particularly for its larger-format editions.
The series’ strongest auction result to date was achieved by Yosemite II, October 16th, 2011, which sold for US$403,200 at Sotheby’s New York in December 2020. Among the standard-format editions, Yosemite No. 1 holds the auction record, realising US$145,261 at Phillips London in 2022, highlighting sustained demand across both the rare large-scale works and the regular edition prints.
Regular edition prints have also performed consistently, with examples frequently appearing at leading auction houses including Christie’s, Phillips and Sotheby’s. Individual works have achieved six-figure results, reflecting growing confidence in Hockney’s digital printmaking and the continued importance of the Yosemite Suite within his wider market.
Explore Available Yosemite Suite Prints
Optima Contemporary advises collectors seeking to buy or sell works from David Hockney’s Yosemite Suite. Speak with our team for guidance on provenance, rarity, market positioning and current availability.
