Assistant Mysteriously Dies at David Hockney's Home

A young assistant to David Hockney has died after being taken to a hospital from the artist's house. Dominic Elliott, 23, was taken to Scarborough General Hospital, near Hockney's home in northeastern England, yesterday morning. Humberside police said they could not confirm Elliott's name, but released a statement indicating that a 23-year-old man had died. The statement says there are no signs of violence and that a post-mortem examination will be conducted tomorrow.

The statement also said that the circumstances of the man's death are not clear and that officers are investigating. The 75-year-old Hockney is one of Britain's most famous artists. He had a major exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts last year that included many paintings of the Yorkshire countryside. (More David Hockney stories.)