I’ve been thinking about all the good things that are specifically American, Hopper must be the most specifically American painter there is. Everything about his work looks and feels ‘American’……………I can't think of an American painter I like more.
a little information..............
Edward Hopper was born in 1882 and grew up in Nyack, a small town in New York State. He studied illustration for a short period, then painting at New York School of Art under legendary masters William Merritt Chase and Robert Henri.
( really like this one, love the colours, it reminds me of some of the Scottish colourists work.)He visited Europe three times (from 1906 to 1907, in 1909 and 1910) and his experiences in Paris, above all, made a lasting mark on him: he remained a lifelong Francophile, even after settling permanently in New York in 1913.
Despite his imposing physical presence – he was six foot two – he was famous for his reserve, and very rarely wrote or spoke about his work. He died at the age of 84 and his work enjoyed the esteem of critics and the public throughout his career, despite the success of the up-and-coming avant-garde movements, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art.
In 1948 the magazine “Look” named him one of America’s greatest artists; in 1950 the Whitney Museum dedicated an important retrospective to him, and in 1956 he appeared on the cover of “Time”.
In 1967, the year of his death, he represented the United States at the prestigious Bienal di São Paulo.
Since then Hopper’s work has been celebrated in numerous exhibitions and has inspired countless painters, poets and filmmakers. In a 1995 essay the great novelist John Updike paid an eloquent tribute to his “calm, silent, stoic, luminous, classic” works.
information taken From;
http://www.edwardhopper.it/?IDC=33
and lots more information here;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Hopper
This one is my personal favourite, no idea why, I like the colours and I love the look of the sea, it looks real and inviting
and to finish
The emotionally charged work of Edward Hopper, American Realist and the swinging music of Benny Goodman. With some quotes and a poem thrown in for good measure!
You DO KNOW WHY though, don't you? The "sea" doesn't look like painting it looks like photography. I know how you feel about the "Scottish colourists" piece; look at the Hopper at top of your post, there are MANY chartreuse in it.
ReplyDelete-Robert
if we have to have an artist represent us
ReplyDeletei'd settle for hopper any day
:)
Yeah, for real, I can see that Hopper painted some things that are so ordinary they are extraordinary.
ReplyDeleteSuch can be said for many of us.
ReplyDeleteI love what he does with light.Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteAye.
ReplyDeleteGood morning and thanks you for your comments you are right about the sea, it feels as if you are on a cruise ship looking out to sea. As for Scottish colourists, I remembered about this one, the colours are very similar
ReplyDeletehttp://forgetmenot525.multiply.com/journal/item/55/Art_Sunday_Drinking
Good Morning Nemo.........exactly................I think his art could only come from the 'American experience' .............he really does capture some sort of essence of America
ReplyDeletegood morning.............:-)...........exactly and I think this is one thing that reminds me of the Scottish colourists, the way they capture the quality of light specific to their area.
ReplyDeleteMorning Loretta. As you can see, my little problem with Multiply appears to have righted itself. I just wanted to thank you for introducing me to another artist whose work I was not previously familiar with. His use of colour and light are wonderful. I particularly like the third and fourth ones, there is just something 'real' about them. Don't know if you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the video. I'm always seeing paintings in photos and here I see photos in paintings.
ReplyDeletewho would you say captures the "british experience"?
ReplyDelete:)
nobody else can match his use of light and shadow. i love his art. thank you, Loretta.
ReplyDeleteoh yes, I like the slice-of-life style of painting too, along with the greatly contrasting colours and shadows, with figures placed within that interesting space. This artist always brings to mind the Australian artist, Jeffrey Smart.
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