More about Edward Hopper
- All
- Info
- Shop
Contributor
Edward Hopper was a total hermit.
He was the type of kid that bullies made fun of in middle school. Social interaction wasn’t exactly his forte. He was a loner so the life of a reclusive artist was a perfect fit. Although Hopper is primarily known for his fine art oil paintings, he was a crafty fellow as well. Turns out he built his first sailboat at the age of 15! I guess you have more time on your hands when you don't have any friends.
While the life of a salty seadog was not for him, he was an avid traveler. In fact, his trips to Europe were some of the greatest influences on his work. Hopper was certainly the famous painter of American landscapes, but like any good male artist, he couldn’t help but depict the allure of the opposite sex as well. The allure and....power. Many of his early drawings depict women dominating men. I wonder how this translates into his love life? Kinky.
Well, he must have done okay on that front, 'cause he bagged himself quite a vixen of a wife. Jo, as he called her, was also an artist and she served as his muse, pushing him to expand his repertoire. She exclaimed once when describing her husband, "Sometimes talking to Eddie is just like dropping a stone in a well, except that it doesn't thump when it hits bottom." Doesn’t sound like too tantalizing a romance to me, but to each their own! Maybe she liked being the one in charge.
Jo certainly didn't marry for money because when they met, Ed wasn’t doing amazing as a professional artist. Hopper's career had a rocky start. It took quite a while for him to gain traction in the art world, but once he did he really made it big, even proving to be Great Depression-proof. While the average American was struggling to make ends meet, Hopper was bringing home the bacon. Museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art were paying thousands (which was a lot back then!) per work.
Featured Content
Here is what Wikipedia says about Edward Hopper
Edward Hopper (July 22, 1882 – May 15, 1967) was an American realist painter and printmaker. While he is widely known for his oil paintings, he was equally proficient as a watercolorist and printmaker in etching.
Hopper created subdued drama out of commonplace subjects layered with a poetic meaning, inviting narrative interpretations. He was praised for "complete verity" in the America he portrayed. He enjoyed a long and complicated marriage with fellow artist Josephine Nivison, who contributed much to his work both as a life-model and as his unofficial manager.
Hopper is one of America's most renowned artists. His influence on art and popular culture has been substantial. Among his best-known paintings are New York Movie (1939) and Nighthawks (1942).
Check out the full Wikipedia article about Edward Hopper