David Beckham ('David')
- Artist: Sam Taylor-Johnson (Sam Taylor-Wood)
- Date: 2004
- Medium: digital video displayed on plasma screen
- Dimensions: 36 3/4 in. x 28 3/8 in. (935 mm x 720 mm) overall
- Portrays: Sir David Robert Joseph Beckham
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is “David Beckham (‘David’)”. A digital video on a plasma screen shows the football legend in repose after a morning training session for Real Madrid. The camera stays fixed – one long take that captures him sleeping, his face soft under a single light source. You can see subtle details: the relaxed muscles, the slight tilt of his head, and the quiet room around him.
Sam Taylor‑Johnson (Sam Taylor‑Wood) made this portrait in 2004. She was inspired by Michelangelo’s “David” and Andy Warhol’s film *Sleep*, so she chose a calm, painterly frame for her subject.
The work was commissioned with the help of J.P. Morgan through the Fund for New Commissions, adding a note of collaboration between artist and patron. In this intimate take, Beckham feels more like a private guest than a public icon, giving visitors a fresh glimpse into his world.
See it in person
David Beckham ('David') is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
