Christian Hook

Christian Hook art caught the public’s attention when he was named Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year in 2014. Hook's original portraits are held in important permanent collections including several national galleries, and his celebrated sitters include Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, Sir Richard Branson and Sir Ian McKellen. Hook explores the concepts of time and motion using multiple layers of transparent paint to create different perspectives on his subjects. Browse Clarendon’s exclusive collection of Christian Hook prints and enquire about originals.
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Christian Hook expands his Drawings from Somewhere Else series with a collection of works inspired by his observations on ancient Greek equine sculpture and, in a nod to past masters including Monet and Warhol, the use of repetition to show nuances of perception. These six new limited editions are bold, colourful and unmistakably Christian Hook… 

Hybrid V
Textured Paper Edition of 49
30 x 30"

£2,950

Hybrid II
Textured Paper Edition of 49
30 x 30"

£2,950

Hybrid III
Textured Paper Edition of 49
30 x 30"

£2,950

Hybrid VIII
Textured Paper Edition of 49
30 x 30"

£2,950

Hybrid VII
Textured Paper Edition of 49
30 x 30"

£2,950

Hybrid XII
Textured Paper Edition of 49
30 x 30"

£2,950

“On a recent visit to Greece I saw how Greek sculptors would use human features on their animals to make them more relatable to us. Many of the eye structures and poses had distinctly human qualities. This collection had a similar concept…

Starting on the iPad with mark making, I found the forms from imagination. The drawings were then printed and built upon with gels mediums and mixed media. I found this particular process of working over my sketches very liberating. It allowed me to forget the horse itself and have my intuition and imagination take the driving seat.”

– Christian Hook

Introducing Christian Hook

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All artwork by Christian Hook

Christian Hook Biography

Over the last 10 years Christian Hook has emerged as one of the most significant artistic voices of his generation. Endlessly curious about the world he is an artist of ideas, approaching his multi-layered narratives with a unique blend of intellect and imagination. His dedication to researching ancient cultures, studying anatomy, or keeping up with the latest scientific and technological advances, has led him to create art which is consistently both innovative and adventurous.


Since he was named as Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the year in 2014, Hook’s rise has been meteoric. His work has been recognised with awards and critical acclaim, and several of his paintings are held in important private collections including that of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, as well as in such prestigious public spaces as the Scottish National Gallery, the Museum of Liverpool, the V&A and the Bolton Museum. His celebrated sitters include Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, Sir Richard Branson, the Duchess of York, Sir Ian McKellen and most recently, Dame Judi Dench.


Sir John Leighton, Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland’ selected his portrait of actor Alan Cumming from over 100,000 pieces in the collection for his list of ‘100 masterpieces’, alongside works from Rembrandt, Picasso and Matisse, and further recognition came when he was granted the Freedom of the City in Gibraltar, a rare and coveted testament to a distinguished career.


A brilliant communicator and charismatic broadcaster, Hook has also reached out beyond the art establishment, travelling extensively to find subjects which capture the zeitgeist and defying the traditional boundaries between popularity and elitism. He has been the subject of several TV documentaries for Sky Arts, and his own film project, ‘Painting the Invisible’, in which he worked with a team of Nobel Prize-winning scientists to create a completely new kind of art, was hailed as ground breaking.


Hook’s art finds its roots in tradition yet breathes with a contemporary vitality that is both refreshing and nuanced. In an expertly choreographed dance of colour and light, past and present converge to offer multiple viewpoints on a single subject, and his fractured images intersect to create complex and beautiful studies in time and motion. Each piece reflects a deep appreciation for classical art but is driven by his interest in science and philosophy and his ongoing quest for innovation and renewal.


In today’s multimedia landscape, where artistic expression encompasses an unprecedentedly broad spectrum, Hook has achieved something genuinely rare; an authentic and personal style which is not simply recognisable, it is unmistakable. As his 10-year retrospective showed, he has explored many different paths in his search for greater self-expression and artistic truth, and has now confirmed his status as one of the foremost artistic voices of our time.

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