Thursday, February 08, 2007

Art Blogging: Edward Hopper

Edward Hopper (1882-1967) was an American Scene painter. The American Scene movement was a US-based style which depicted scenes from everyday, socially realistic life as a rejection of Modernism. Hopper was raised in Nyack, a small town on the Hudson River and educated at the New York School of Art under Realist painter Robert Henri. He had his first successful solo exhibit in 1924, from which he began to climb out of obscurity. Hopper and his wife travelled across America, gathering images to portray on canvas. His portraits of American life are austere and simple, if not bleak, but these reflect his love for his subjects through the Puritan streak in American thought. His popularity waned in the 1950s and Hopper died forgotten, only to be rediscovered in the decades after his death.

Nighthawks (1942, oil on canvas, at the Art Institute of Chicago).






Chair Car (1965, oil on canvas, private collection).





Lighthouse at Two Lights (1929, oil on canvas, at the Met).

5 comments:

Art said...

I love Hopper's work. A teacher in 5th or 6th grade showed us Nighthawks and I was just mesmerized... Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hopper's work reminds me of an Ayn Rand book cover.

John said...

That's an interesting analogy.

I think that I'll look into the cover artist that you're referring to. I'm sure that the Quint Cordair website will have something on the subject.

rocksalive777 said...

I saw Nighthawks over the summer on a trip through Chicago. It, along with some Picasos and van Goghs, were the highlight of my entire break.

Petra Fisher said...

I clearly remember the first time I became aware of Hopper... I was on holidays in the US and at the MOMA in New York... and then I saw "Early Sunday Morning". Have been in love with Hopper ever since! (His work that is)