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Lot Essay
In 1974 David Hockney accepted the commission, by John Cox, to design the costumes and set for Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress to be performed at the Glyndebourne Festival.
In honour of this event Peter Langan organised a magnificent picnic to celebrate the opening night on 21st June 1975. Sir George Christie had agreed to take over the front lawn at Glyndebourne where he set up a long table with a white linen tablecloth, candelabra and cut flowers. Cuban waiters served champagne and menus were distributed depicting Hockney's drawing of Langan and Moussis (see lot 220) with the inscription An Evening of Excess.
Hockney recalls "The picnic was supposed to be for about thirty people, but Peter took 120 bottles of champagne and none went back. I did point out to him, 'That's four bottles each, Peter!' The food was fantastic, enormous lobsters, best hams, marvelous smoked salmon - he knew where to get the good stuff. It was spectacular." (C.S. Sykes, David Hockney, A Rake's Progress, The Biography, 1937-1975, New York 2011, p. 325-326)
The present work was executed by the Australian artist Robert Marchant and the figures of Peter Langan, David Hockney and Henry Geldzahler are clearly depicted in the centre of the banquet. It was purchased by Richard Shepherd who gave it to Peter as a present.
In honour of this event Peter Langan organised a magnificent picnic to celebrate the opening night on 21st June 1975. Sir George Christie had agreed to take over the front lawn at Glyndebourne where he set up a long table with a white linen tablecloth, candelabra and cut flowers. Cuban waiters served champagne and menus were distributed depicting Hockney's drawing of Langan and Moussis (see lot 220) with the inscription An Evening of Excess.
Hockney recalls "The picnic was supposed to be for about thirty people, but Peter took 120 bottles of champagne and none went back. I did point out to him, 'That's four bottles each, Peter!' The food was fantastic, enormous lobsters, best hams, marvelous smoked salmon - he knew where to get the good stuff. It was spectacular." (C.S. Sykes, David Hockney, A Rake's Progress, The Biography, 1937-1975, New York 2011, p. 325-326)
The present work was executed by the Australian artist Robert Marchant and the figures of Peter Langan, David Hockney and Henry Geldzahler are clearly depicted in the centre of the banquet. It was purchased by Richard Shepherd who gave it to Peter as a present.