Art Edward Hopper

1 art

1.1 personality , vision
1.2 methods
1.3 subjects , themes
1.4 place in american art
1.5 influence
1.6 exhibitions
1.7 art market

art
personality , vision

always reluctant discuss himself , art, hopper said, whole answer there on canvas. hopper stoic , fatalistic—a quiet introverted man gentle sense of humor , frank manner. hopper drawn emblematic, anti-narrative symbolism, painted short isolated moments of configuration, saturated suggestion . silent spaces , uneasy encounters touch vulnerable , , have suggestion of melancholy, melancholy being enacted . sense of color revealed him pure painter turned puritan purist, in quiet canvasses blemishes , blessings balance . according critic lloyd goodrich, eminently native painter, more other getting more of quality of america canvases .

conservative in politics , social matters (hopper asserted example artists lives should written people close them ), accepted things , displayed lack of idealism. cultured , sophisticated, well-read, , many of paintings show figures reading. company , unperturbed silences, though taciturn, grumpy, or detached. serious art , art of others, , when asked return frank opinions.

hopper s systematic declaration of philosophy artist given in handwritten note, entitled statement , submitted in 1953 journal, reality:

great art outward expression of inner life in artist, , inner life result in personal vision of world. no amount of skillful invention can replace essential element of imagination. 1 of weaknesses of abstract painting attempt substitute inventions of human intellect private imaginative conception.

the inner life of human being vast , varied realm , not concern alone stimulating arrangements of color, form , design.

the term life used in art not held in contempt, implies of existence , province of art react , not shun it.

painting have deal more , less obliquely life , nature s phenomena before can again become great.

though hopper claimed didn t consciously embed psychological meaning in paintings, interested in freud , power of subconscious mind. wrote in 1939, of every art expression of subconscious seems me of important qualities put there unconsciously, , little of importance conscious intellect.

methods

although best known oil paintings, hopper achieved recognition watercolors , produced commercially successful etchings. additionally, notebooks contain high-quality pen , pencil sketches, never meant public viewing.

hopper paid particular attention geometrical design , careful placement of human figures in proper balance environment. slow , methodical artist; wrote, takes long time idea strike. have think long time. don t start painting until have worked out in mind. m right when easel . made preparatory sketches work out calculated compositions. , wife kept detailed ledger of works noting such items sad face of woman unlit , electric light ceiling , , thighs cooler .

for new york movie (1939), hopper demonstrates thorough preparation more 53 sketches of theater interior , figure of pensive usherette.

the effective use of light , shadow create mood central hopper s methods. bright sunlight (as emblem of insight or revelation), , shadows casts, play symbolically powerful roles in hopper paintings such sunday morning (1930), summertime (1943), 7 a.m. (1948), , sun in empty room (1963). use of light , shadow effects have been compared cinematography of film noir.

although realist painter, hopper s soft realism simplified shapes , details. used saturated color heighten contrast , create mood.

subjects , themes

girl @ sewing machine (1921)

hopper derived subject matter 2 primary sources: one, common features of american life (gas stations, motels, restaurants, theaters, railroads, , street scenes) , inhabitants; , two, seascapes , rural landscapes. regarding style, hopper defined himself amalgam of many races , not member of school, particularly ashcan school . once hopper achieved mature style, art remained consistent , self-contained, in spite of numerous art trends came , went during long career.

hopper s seascapes fall 3 main groups: pure landscapes of rocks, sea, , beach grass; lighthouses , farmhouses; , sailboats. combined these elements. of these paintings depict strong light , fair weather; showed little interest in snow or rain scenes, or in seasonal color changes. painted majority of pure seascapes in period between 1916 , 1919 on monhegan island. hopper s long leg (1935) all-blue sailing picture simplest of elements, while ground swell (1939) more complex , depicts group of youngsters out sail, theme reminiscent of winslow homer s iconic breezing (1876).

urban architecture , cityscapes major subjects hopper. fascinated american urban scene, our native architecture hideous beauty, fantastic roofs, pseudo-gothic, french mansard, colonial, mongrel or not, eye-searing color or delicate harmonies of faded paint, shouldering 1 along interminable streets taper off swamps or dump heaps.

in 1925, produced house railroad. classic work depicts isolated victorian wood mansion, partly obscured raised embankment of railroad. marked hopper s artistic maturity. lloyd goodrich praised work 1 of poignant , desolating pieces of realism. work first of series of stark rural , urban scenes uses sharp lines , large shapes, played upon unusual lighting capture lonely mood of subjects. although critics , viewers interpret meaning , mood in these cityscapes, hopper insisted more interested in sunlight on buildings , on figures symbolism. if prove point, late painting sun in empty room (1963) pure study of sunlight.

most of hopper s figure paintings focus on subtle interaction of human beings environment—carried out solo figures, couples, or groups. primary emotional themes solitude, loneliness, regret, boredom, , resignation. expresses emotions in various environments, including office, in public places, in apartments, on road, or on vacation. if creating stills movie or tableaux in play, hopper positioned characters if captured before or after climax of scene.

hopper s solitary figures women—dressed, semi-clad, , nude—often reading or looking out window, or in workplace. in 1920s, hopper painted first such images girl @ sewing machine (1921), new york interior (another woman sewing) (1921), , moonlight interior (a nude getting bed) (1923). automat (1927) , hotel room (1931), however, more representative of mature style, emphasizing solitude more overtly.

as hopper scholar, gail levin, wrote of hotel room:

the spare vertical , diagonal bands of color , sharp electric shadows create concise , intense drama in night...combining poignant subject matter such powerful formal arrangement, hopper s composition pure enough approach abstract sensibility, yet layered poetic meaning observer.

hopper s room in new york (1932) , cape cod evening (1939) prime examples of couple paintings. in first, young couple appear alienated , uncommunicative—he reading newspaper while idles piano. viewer takes on role of voyeur, if looking telescope through window of apartment spy on couple s lack of intimacy. in latter painting, older couple little each other, playing dog, own attention drawn away masters. hopper takes couple theme more ambitious level excursion philosophy (1959). middle-aged man sits dejectedly on edge of bed. beside him lies open book , partially clad woman. shaft of light illuminates floor in front of him. jo hopper noted in log book, [t]he open book plato, reread late .

levin interprets painting:

plato s philosopher, in search of real , true, must turn away transitory realm , contemplate eternal forms , ideas. pensive man in hopper s painting positioned between lure of earthly domain, figured woman, , call of higher spiritual domain, represented ethereal lightfall. pain of thinking choice , consequences, after reading plato night, evident. paralysed fervent inner labour of melancholic.

in office @ night (1940), couple painting, hopper creates psychological puzzle. painting shows man focusing on work papers, while nearby attractive female secretary pulls file. several studies painting show how hopper experimented positioning of 2 figures, perhaps heighten eroticism , tension. hopper presents viewer possibilities man either uninterested in woman s appeal or working hard ignore her. interesting aspect of painting how hopper employs 3 light sources, desk lamp, through window , indirect light above. hopper went on make several office pictures, none sensual undercurrent.

nighthawks (1942)

the best-known of hopper s paintings, nighthawks (1942), 1 of paintings of groups. shows customers sitting @ counter of all-night diner. shapes , diagonals constructed. viewpoint cinematic—from sidewalk, if viewer approaching restaurant. diner s harsh electric light sets apart dark night outside, enhancing mood , subtle emotion. in many hopper paintings, interaction minimal. restaurant depicted inspired 1 in greenwich village. both hopper , wife posed figures, , jo hopper gave painting title. inspiration picture may have come ernest hemingway s short story killers , hopper admired, or more philosophical clean, well-lighted place . in keeping title of painting, hopper later said, nighthawks has more possibility of predators in night loneliness.

his second recognizable painting after nighthawks urban painting, sunday morning (originally called seventh avenue shops), shows empty street scene in sharp side light, fire hydrant , barber pole stand-ins human figures. hopper intended put figures in upstairs windows left them empty heighten feeling of desolation.

hopper s rural new england scenes, such gas (1940), no less meaningful. gas represents different, equally clean, well-lighted refuge ... ke[pt] open in need navigate night, traveling own miles go before sleep. work presents fusion of several hopper themes: solitary figure, melancholy of dusk, , lonely road.

hopper approaches surrealism rooms sea (1951), open door gives view of ocean, without apparent ladder or steps , no indication of beach.

after student years, hopper s nudes women. unlike past artists painted female nude glorify female form , highlight female eroticism, hopper s nudes solitary women psychologically exposed. 1 audacious exception girlie show (1941), red-headed strip-tease queen strides confidently across stage accompaniment of musicians in pit. girlie show inspired hopper s visit burlesque show few days earlier. hopper s wife, usual, posed him painting, , noted in diary, ed beginning new canvas—a burlesque queen doing strip tease—and posing without stitch on in front of stove—nothing high heels in lottery dance pose.

hopper s portraits , self-portraits relatively few after student years. hopper did produce commissioned portrait of house, macarthurs home (1939), faithfully details victorian architecture of home of actress helen hayes. reported later, guess never met more misanthropic, grumpy individual in life. hopper grumbled throughout project , never again accepted commission. hopper painted portrait of orleans (1950), portrait of cape cod town main street.

though interested in american civil war , mathew brady s battlefield photographs, hopper made 2 historical paintings. both depicted soldiers on way gettysburg. rare among themes paintings showing action. best example of action painting bridle path (1939), hopper s struggle proper anatomy of horses may have discouraged him similar attempts.

hopper s final oil painting, 2 comedians (1966), painted 1 year before death, focuses on love of theater. 2 french pantomime actors, 1 male , 1 female, both dressed in bright white costumes, take bow in front of darkened stage. jo hopper confirmed husband intended figures suggest taking life s last bows husband , wife.

hopper s paintings have been seen others having narrative or thematic content artist may not have intended. meaning can added painting title, titles of hopper s paintings chosen others, or selected hopper , wife in way makes unclear whether have real connection artist s meaning. example, hopper once told interviewer fond of sunday morning... wasn t sunday. word tacked on later else.

the tendency read thematic or narrative content hopper s paintings, hopper had not intended, extended wife. when jo hopper commented on figure in cape cod morning s woman looking out see if weather s enough hang out wash, hopper retorted, did that? re making norman rockwell. point of view s looking out window. example of same phenomenon recorded in 1948 article in time:

hopper s summer evening, young couple talking in harsh light of cottage porch, inescapably romantic, hopper hurt 1 critic s suggestion illustration in woman s magazine. hopper had painting in of head 20 years , never thought of putting figures in until started last summer. why art director tear picture apart. figures not interested me; light streaming down, , night around.

place in american art

in focusing on quiet moments, showing action, hopper employed form of realism adopted leading american realist, andrew wyeth, hopper s technique different wyeth s hyper-detailed style. in league of contemporaries, hopper shared urban sensibility john sloan , george bellows, avoided overt action , violence. joseph stella , georgia o keeffe glamorized monumental structures of city, hopper reduced them everyday geometrics , depicted pulse of city desolate , dangerous rather elegant or seductive .

charles burchfield, whom hopper admired , whom compared, said of hopper, achieves such complete verity can read interpretations of houses , conceptions of new york life human implications wish. attributed hopper s success bold individualism. ... in him have regained sturdy american independence thomas eakins gave us, time lost. hopper considered high compliment since considered eakins greatest american painter.

hopper scholar, deborah lyons, writes, our own moments of revelation mirrored, transcendent, in work. once seen, hopper s interpretations exist in our consciousness in tandem our own experience. forever see type of house hopper house, invested perhaps mystery hopper implanted in our own vision. hopper s paintings highlight seemingly mundane , typical scenes in our everyday life , give them cause epiphany. in way hopper s art takes gritty american landscape , lonely gas stations , creates within them sense of beautiful anticipation.

although compared contemporary norman rockwell in terms of subject matter, hopper did not comparison. hopper considered himself more subtle, less illustrative, , not sentimental. hopper rejected comparisons grant wood , thomas hart benton stating think american scene painters caricatured america. wanted myself.

influence

hopper s influence on art world , pop culture undeniable. though had no formal students, many artists have cited him influence, including willem de kooning, jim dine, , mark rothko. illustration of hopper s influence rothko s work composition (c. 1931), direct paraphrase of hopper s chop suey.

hopper s house railroad inspired of bates house in alfred hitchcock s film psycho. painting fanciful portrait of second empire victorian home @ 18 conger avenue in haverstraw, new york.

hopper s cinematic compositions , dramatic use of light , dark has made him favorite among filmmakers. example, house railroad reported have heavily influenced iconic house in alfred hitchcock film psycho. same painting has been cited being influence on home in terrence malick film days of heaven. 1981 film pennies heaven includes tableau vivant of nighthawks, lead actors in places of diners. german director wim wenders cites hopper influence. 1997 film end of violence incorporates tableau vivant of nighthawks, recreated actors. noted surrealist horror film director dario argento went far recreate diner , patrons in nighthawks part of set 1976 film deep red (aka profondo rosso). ridley scott has cited same painting visual inspiration blade runner. establish lighting of scenes in 2002 film road perdition, director sam mendes drew paintings of hopper source of inspiration, particularly new york movie.

homages nighthawks featuring cartoon characters or famous pop culture icons such james dean , marilyn monroe found in poster stores , gift shops. cable television channel turner classic movies runs animated clips based on hopper paintings prior airing films. hopper s painting new york movie featured in television show dead me; girl standing in corner resembles daisy adair. in 1998 episode of 70s show titled drive in, red , kitty settle in @ diner , create reproduction of nighthawks.

musical influences include singer/songwriter tom waits s 1975 live-in-the-studio album titled nighthawks @ diner, after painting. in 1993, madonna inspired sufficiently hopper s 1941 painting girlie show named world tour after , incorporated many of theatrical elements , mood of painting show. in 2004, british guitarist john squire (formerly of stone roses) released concept album based on hopper s work entitled marshall s house. each song on album inspired by, , shares title with, painting hopper. canadian rock group weakerthans released album reunion tour in 2007 featuring 2 songs inspired , named after hopper paintings, sun in empty room , , night windows , , have referenced him in songs such hospital vespers . hopper s compartment c, car 293 inspired polish composer paweł szymański s compartment 2, car 7 violin, viola, cello , vibraphone (2003), hubert-félix thiéfaine s song compartiment c voiture 293 edward hopper 1938 (2011). hopper s work has influenced multiple recordings british band orchestral manoeuvres in dark. sunday morning inspiration sleeve of crush (1985). same band s 2013 single night café influenced nighthawks , mentions hopper name. 7 of paintings referenced in lyrics.

each of twelve chapters in new zealander chris bell s 2004 novel liquidambar (uka press/pabd) interprets 1 of hopper s paintings create surreal detective story.

hopper s influence reached japanese animation world in dark cyberpunk thriller texhnolyze. artwork used basis surface world in texhnolyze of 2008 animated film bolt.

exhibitions

in 1980, show edward hopper: art , artist opened @ whitney museum of american art , visited london, düsseldorf, , amsterdam, san francisco , chicago. first time ever, show presented hopper s oil paintings preparatory studies works. beginning of hopper s popularity in europe , large worldwide reputation.

in 2004, large selection of hopper s paintings toured europe, visiting museum ludwig in cologne, germany, , tate modern in london. tate exhibition became second popular in gallery s history, 420,000 visitors in 3 months open.

in 2007, exhibition focused on period of hopper s greatest achievements—from 1925 mid-century—and presented @ museum of fine arts, boston. exhibit comprised fifty oil paintings, thirty watercolors, , twelve prints, including favorites nighthawks, chop suey, , lighthouse , buildings. exhibition organized museum of fine arts, boston, national gallery of art, washington, , art institute of chicago , sponsored global management consulting firm booz allen hamilton.

in 2010, fondation de l hermitage museum in lausanne, switzerland, held exhibition covered hopper s entire career, works drawn largely whitney museum in new york city. included paintings, watercolors, etchings, cartoons, posters, of preparatory studies selected paintings. exhibition had been seen in milan , rome. in 2011, whitney museum of american art held exhibition called edward hopper , times.

in 2012, exhibition opened @ grand palais in paris sought shed light on complexity of masterpieces, indication of richness of hopper s oeuvre. divided chronologically 2 main parts: first section covered hopper s formative years (1900–1924), comparing work of contemporaries , art saw in paris, may have influenced him. second section looked @ art of mature years, first paintings emblematic of personal style, such house railroad (1924), last works.

art market

works hopper appear on market. artist not prolific, painting 366 canvases; during 1950s, when in 70s, produced approximately 5 paintings year. hopper s longtime dealer, frank rehn, gave artist first solo show in 1924, sold hotel window (1956) collector olga knoepke $7,000 (equivalent $59,691 in 2016) in 1957. in 1999, forbes collection sold actor steve martin privately around $10 million. in 2006, martin sold $26.89 million @ sotheby s new york, auction record artist.

in 2013 pennsylvania academy of fine arts put hopper s east wind on weehawken (1934) sale, hoping garner $22–$28 million @ painting valued, in order establish fund acquire contemporary art appreciate in value. street scene rendered in dark, earthy tones depicting gabled house @ 1001 boulevard east @ corner of 49th street in weehawken, new jersey, , considered 1 of hopper s best works. acquired directly dealer handling artist s paintings in 1952, fifteen years before death of painter, @ low price. painting sold record-breaking $36 million @ christie s in new york, anonymous telephone bidder. same year, weehawken resident , comedian susie felber commissioned modern remake of painting in order raise money weehawken ptpo. remake, created brooklyn-based painter stephen gardner, depicts scene appears today, flowers , satellite dishes, , in lighter tones. painting purchased on ebay $510 computer programmer ligia builes, owns house depicted in painting.