The article explores the stories behind David Hockney's famous double portraits from the 1960s and '70s, focusing on the couples who posed for them. The author, Ellen Wexler, has a personal connection to one subject—Christopher Scott, her cousin, who appears with his partner Henry Geldzahler in a $49.5 million painting. The piece examines five portraits chronologically, including Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy (1968) and Fred and Marcia Weisman (1968), detailing the dynamics captured in each work.
This article matters because it humanizes Hockney's iconic series by revealing the personal histories and relationships behind the canvases, particularly highlighting the hidden gay relationships of the era. It also serves as a tribute following Hockney's death at 88, commemorating his legacy through the intimate stories of his subjects. The piece underscores how Hockney's double portraits defined a genre of psychological observation in art, making visible the complex dynamics between couples who knew they were being watched.