A David Hockney painting he first sold for a few hundred pounds has set a world auction house record for the artist by fetching £1.9 million.

The Bradford-born artist's oil and acrylic on canvas entitled A Neat Lawn painted in 1967 was sold at Christie's in New York by a private collector to an undisclosed Asian buyer.

Mr Hockney, who is originally from Eccleshill, spoke to the Telegraph & Argus from Bridlington where he is working on a series of paintings.

He said: "It was sold for about £500 or £600 which I thought was quite a lot of money for the time.

"I am hard at work here so I don't give it much thought. The painting is 40 years old. I don't get a penny anyway.

"To be honest I do not think about it much. I am busy painting the spring in East Yorkshire and right now is action' week."

Robin Silver, director of Salts Mill in Saltaire, which exhibits Mr Hockney's work, said: "It's not surprising that great art commands high prices at auction. And it's fitting that our greatest living artist should command the highest prices."

Born in 1937, Mr Hockney was educated at Bradford Grammar School before spending three years at Bradford's School of Art.

Pilar Ordovas, of Christie's London, said: "David Hockney has internationally established work and it appeals to a wide audience. He has been working since the 1950s. He has a general appeal with his work from different periods.

"The British market is strong at the moment. These artists are truly international. It was very exciting on Tuesday night to be in New York and to be able to witness these fantastic prices for the work."

A Neat Lawn was one of Mr Hockney's earlier famous California paintings and was painted about the same year as A Bigger Splash.

David Graves, one of Mr Hockney's studio assistants, said: "This was not his first trip to California I think it was his second or third. I believe the painting had been in one private collection from then.

"At the time, David was painting quite a few similar scenes and was interested in water, sprinklers, splashes and lawn sprinklers. He was also doing some double portraits and I think he was staying in Santa Monica."

e-mail: fiona.evans@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

SALEROOM

David Hockney's paintings have fetched millions of pounds:

  • A Neat Lawn sold in 2006. Painted in 1967, the oil and acrylic on canvas set a new world record for Hockney's work, fetching $3,600,000 at Christie's, New York.
  • Seated Woman Being Served Tea By Standing Companion sold in 2005. Painted in 1963, the oil on canvas fetched $3,284,671, when it was sold at Sotheby's, London.
  • Portrait of Nick Wilder sold in 2002. Painted in 1966, the acrylic on canvas fetched $2,869,500 when it was sold at Christie's, New York.
  • Portrait of Nick Wilder sold in 2003. Another version of the acrylic on canvas, painted in 1966, fetched $2,360,000 at Sotheby's, New York.
  • A Grand Procession of Dignitaries in the semi Egyptian style sold in 1989. Painted in 1961, the oil on canvas fetched $2,200,000 when sold at Sotheby's, New York.