These three portraits, above, are just three of the 30 new paintings which fill the final gallery with breathtaking colour and character. Hockney spent lockdown at his home in France and was not idle. Apart from making landscapes of the area around his farmhouse he made portraits of neighbours, friends and random visitors. You can feel the conversations which went on while the paintings were being made. Hockney works quickly and he works from life. Photos references are not for him. He likes to ‘eyeball’ his subject and commit the impression to paper or canvas as quickly as he can. I really loved the results of this latest series. He’s taken to using a kind of spare ‘pointillist’ style of painting. He’s confident in his use of blobs and brush strokes to employ minimal effort to maximum effect.

It all begins with a selection of his early works. I absolutely adore the paper collage self portrait (with the yellow tie). Apart from seeing how paper can be so well used in the hands of an expert, the likeness is wonderful and the confidence is palpable. I liked the early painting of his parents (and you can see him peeping out of the reflection in the mirror) and the early lithograph shows a young artist who is eager to try all the different creative mediums at his disposal. The one on the right is a lithograph.

Above are three of the many portraits Hockney has made of his friend Celia Birtwell. It’s clear from her pose and the gaze that they are very familiar friends and, between the need to stay still, there were some rich and colourful conversations. Again, there’s a mix of media used. The delicate crayon works, made with Caran d’ache pencils are done with such a light but deft touch.

Hockney’s mother, Laura Hockney, was an early and loyal sitter for Hockney. Again, it’s the spareness of the drawing which makes these works so moving. The one on the left, of Laura wearing the hat, was made after the funeral of her husband, David’s father. All the grief and resignation is there in her eyes but done with such minimal detail.

Portraits of Gregory, Hockney’s lover. A wonderful collection of drawings, watercolours and prints.

And in amongst all the subjects immortalised on canvas and paper are the self-portraits. They come from all stages of his life and, again, in all media. Very fascinating to see the i-Pad portraits which show the actual drawing process of an artist scrutinising his face. It’s a very enjoyable show. On at the National Portrait Gallery until 21st January 2024.