Edward Hopper (1882-1967)
Perhaps the preeminent realist painter of the 20th century, Hopper is known for austere scenes that convey a sense of isolation. He ignored emerging developments in modern painting, instead choosing to focus on a pared-down representational style remarkable for its purity of form. Featuring subject matter that includes late nineteenth-century architecture, coastal views, and scenes and motifs of the modern city, Hopper's works possess a strangely empty character. Even when he depicts groups of individuals, they seem disconnected, lost in their own thoughts. Likewise, his scenes of solitary buildings, presented out of their full contexts and depicted from unconventional viewpoints, convey a sense of rootlessness.
Hopper, who was born in Nyack, New York, was not prolific, and produced only a few finished paintings each year. He relied heavily upon drawings to bring ideas to satisfactory completion in his finished oils. Although rarely exhibited during his lifetime, these drawings represent a crucial step in his creative process, and earned him admiration among fellow artists, who marveled at his ability to produce brilliant sketches upon demand. Hopper was also a highly accomplished illustrator (which is how he earned his living before finding success as an artist), etcher, and watercolorist.
Image: Edward Hopper, Peter A. Juley & Son Collection. Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. (J0001707)