Edward Hopper is a poet of empty spaces. American artist Edward Hopper: biography, creativity, paintings and interesting facts Artist Edward Hopper on postage stamps

Edward Hopper (eng. Edward Hopper; July 22, 1882, Nyack, New York - May 15, 1967, New York) - a popular American artist, a prominent representative of the American genre painting, one of the greatest urbanists of the 20th century.

Biography of Edward Hopper

Already in childhood, Edward Hopper discovered the ability to draw, in which his parents supported him in every possible way.

After school, he studied illustration by correspondence for a year, and then entered the prestigious New York Art School. American sources give a whole list of his famous fellow students.

In 1906, Hopper finished his studies and began working as an illustrator in an advertising agency, but in the fall he went to Europe.

I must say that a trip to Europe was almost an obligatory part vocational education for American artists. At that time, the star of Paris was shining brightly, and young and ambitious people were drawn there from all over the world to join the latest achievements and trends in world painting.

Hopper was the most original of all. He traveled around Europe, was in Paris, London, Amsterdam, returned to New York, again traveled to Paris and Spain, spent time in European museums and met European artists ... But, apart from short-term influences, his painting does not reveal any acquaintance with modern trends. Nothing at all, even the palette just barely brightened up!

He appreciated Rembrandt and Hals, later - El Greco, from the masters close in time - Edouard Manet and Edgar Degas, who had already become classics by that time. As for Picasso, Hopper quite seriously claimed that he had not heard his name while in Paris.

And after 1910 he never crossed the Atlantic, even when his paintings were exhibited in the American pavilion of the prestigious Venice Biennale.

Hopper's work

Art critics give Edward Hopper different names. “Artist of empty spaces”, “poet of the era”, “gloomy socialist realist”.

But whatever name you choose, it does not change the essence: Hopper is one of the brightest representatives American painting, whose works cannot leave anyone indifferent.

The creative method of the American artist took shape during the Great Depression in the United States. Various researchers of Hopper's work are inclined to find in his works echoes with the writers Tennessee Williams, Theodore Dreiser, Robert Frost, Jerome Salinger, with the artists DeKirko and Delvaux, later they begin to see a reflection of his work in the film works of David Lynch.

It is not known for certain whether any of these comparisons have a real basis, but one thing is clear: Edward Hopper very subtly managed to depict the spirit of the time, conveying it in the poses of heroes, in the empty spaces of his canvases, in a unique color scheme.

This American artist is classified as a representative of magical realism.

Indeed, his characters, the environment in which he places them, is utterly simple in everyday terms. Nevertheless, his canvases always reflect some kind of understatement, always reflect a hidden conflict, give rise to the most various interpretations. Reaching, sometimes, to the point of absurdity.

Adam's House Chop Suey The Long Leg

For example, his painting "Night Conference" was returned by the collector to the seller, because he saw in it a hidden communist conspiracy.

Hopper's most famous painting is Night Owls. At one time, its reproduction hung in the room of almost every American teenager. The plot of the picture is extremely simple: in the window of a night cafe, three visitors are sitting at the bar counter, they are served by a bartender. It would seem that nothing remarkable, but anyone who looks at the picture of an American artist, almost physically feels the transcendent, aching feeling of the loneliness of a person in a big city.

Hopper's magical realism was not accepted by his contemporaries at the time. With a general trend towards more "interesting" methods - cubism, surrealism, abstractionism - his paintings seemed boring and inexpressive.

“They can never understand,” said Hopper, “that the originality of the artist is not a fashionable method. This is the quintessence of his personality.”

Today, his work is considered not just a milestone in the American fine arts, but in a collective way, the spirit of their time.

One of his biographers once wrote: “Descendants will learn more about that time from the paintings of Edward Hopper than from any textbook.” And, perhaps, in a sense, he is right.

In 1923, Hopper met his future wife Josephine. Their family turned out to be strong, but family life was not easy.

Jo forbade her husband to paint nudes and, if necessary, posed for herself. Edward was jealous of her even for the cat. Everything was aggravated by his taciturnity and gloomy character. “Sometimes talking to Eddie was like throwing a stone down a well. With one exception: the sound of falling into the water could not be heard, ”she admitted.

Nevertheless, it was Jo who reminded Hopper of the possibilities of watercolor, and he returned to this technique.

He soon exhibited six works at the Brooklyn Museum, and one of them was bought by the museum for $100. Critics reacted favorably to the exhibition and noted vitality, and the expressiveness of Hopper's watercolors, even with the most modest subjects. This combination of external restraint and expressive depth, and will become trademark Hopper for all remaining years.

In 1927, Hopper sold the painting "Two in the Auditorium" for $1,500, and the couple got their first car with this money.

The artist got the opportunity to go on sketches, and rural provincial America for a long time became one of the main motives for his painting.

In 1930 there was another significant event in the life of an artist. Patron Stephen Clark donated his painting “House at railway” New York Museum contemporary art and has hung there in a prominent place ever since.

So, shortly before his fiftieth birthday, Hopper entered the time of recognition. In 1931 he sold 30 works, including 13 watercolors. In 1932 he took part in the first regular exhibition of the Whitney Museum and did not miss the next until his death.

In 1933, in honor of the artist's anniversary, the Museum of Modern Art presented a retrospective of his work.

Edward Hopper (Edward Hopper) art historians give different names. “Artist of empty spaces”, “poet of the era”, “gloomy socialist realist”. But whatever name you choose, it does not change the essence: Hopper is one of the brightest representatives of American painting, whose work cannot leave anyone indifferent.

Gas station, 1940

The American creative method took shape during the Great Depression in the United States. Various researchers of Hopper's work tend to find in his works echoes with the writers Tennessee Williams, Theodore Dreiser, Robert Frost, Jerome Salinger, with the artists DeKirko and Delvaux, later they begin to see a reflection of his work in the film works of David Lynch ...

This is referred to as representatives of magical realism. Indeed, his characters, the environment in which he places them, is utterly simple in everyday terms. Nevertheless, his canvases always reflect some kind of understatement, always reflect a hidden conflict, give rise to a variety of interpretations. Reaching, sometimes, to the point of absurdity. For example, his painting "Night Conference" was returned by the collector to the seller, because he saw in it a hidden communist conspiracy.

Evening meeting, 1949

Midnighters, 1942

Hopper's magical realism was not accepted by his contemporaries at the time. With a general trend towards more “interesting” methods - cubism, surrealism, abstractionism - his paintings seemed boring and inexpressive.
“They never understand Hopper said, that the originality of the artist is not a fashionable method. This is the quintessence of his personality.”

Today, his work is considered not just a milestone in American fine art, but a collective image, the spirit of his time. One of his biographers once wrote: “Descendants will learn more about that time from the paintings of Edward Hopper than from any textbook.” And, perhaps, in a sense, he is right.

Each national school of painting can mark several of its the best representatives. Just as Russian painting of the 20th century is impossible without Malevich, so is American painting without Edward Hopper . His works do not revolutionary ideas and sharp topics, there are no conflicts and complex plots, but they are all permeated with a special atmosphere that we are not always able to feel in everyday life. Hopper brought American painting to the world level. His followers were David Lynch and other later artists.

Childhood years and youth of the artist

Edward Hopper was born in 1882, in Nuascu. His family had an average income, and therefore was able to provide young Edward with a proper education. After moving to New York in 1899, he studied at the School of Advertising Artists and then entered the prestigious Robert Henry School. Parents were very supportive young artist and tried to develop his talent.

Trip to Europe

After graduation Edward Hopper worked only a year in the New York advertising agency and already in 1906 went to Europe. This trip should have opened him already famous artists other schools, introduce Picasso, Manet, Rembrandt, El Greco, Degas and Hals.

Conventionally, all artists who have visited Europe or studied there can be divided into three categories. The former immediately responded to the already existing experience of the great masters and quickly conquered the whole world with their innovative style or the genius of their work. This category, of course, more applies to Picasso. Others, in effect own character or other reasons, remained unknown, although very talented artists. Still others (which is more applicable to Russian painters) took the acquired experience with them to their homeland and created their best works there.

However, already in this period, the isolation and originality of style inthe works of Edward Hopper. Unlike all young artists, he is not passionate about any new schools and techniques and takes everything quite calmly. Periodically, he returned to New York, then again went to Paris. Europe has not captured it entirely. However, it would be wrong to assume that such an attitude characterizes Hopper as an infantile or a person unable to fully appreciate the already existing genius. artistic heritage other masters. This is exactly the style of the artistEdward Hopper - inouter calm and tranquility, behind which there is always a deep meaning.

After Europe

As already mentioned, all the works of the masters were produced on Edward Hopper a vivid but short-lived impression. He quickly became interested in the technique and style of this or that author, but always returned to his own. Degas also admired him to the greatest extent. It can be said that their styles even echoed. But the works of Picasso, as Hopper himself said, he did not even notice. It is rather difficult to believe in such a fact, because Pablo Picasso was perhaps the most famous among artists. However, the fact remains.

After returning to New York, Hopper never left America.

Getting started on your own

The path of Edward Hopper, although it was not filled with dramas and sharply dissonant scandals, was still not easy.

In 1913, the artist returned to New York forever, settling in a house in Washington Square. The beginning of a career seems to be going well - the firstpainting by Edward Hopperwas sold in the same 1913. However, this success temporarily ends. Hopper first showed his work at the Armory Show in New York, which was conceived as an exhibition of contemporary art. Here Edward Hopper's style played with it bad joke- against the backdrop of avant-garde paintings by Picasso, Picabia and other painters, Hopper's paintings looked quite modest and even provincial. His idea was not understood by his contemporaries.Paintings by Edward Hopperwere perceived by both critics and viewers as ordinary realism, not carrying any artistic value. This is how the quiet period begins. Hopper is experiencing financial difficulties, so he is forced to take the position of an illustrator.

Before recognition

Experiencing the hardships of the situation, Edward Hopper takes on private orders for commercial publications. For a while, the artist even leaves painting and works in the technique of etching - engraving, which is performed mainly on a metal surface. In the 1910s, it was etching that was most adapted to printing activities. Hopper had never been in the service, so he had to work with great diligence. In addition, this situation also affected his health - often the artist fell into severe depression.

Based on this, it can be assumed that Edward Hopper, as a painter, could lose his skills during the years that he did not paint. But, fortunately, this did not happen.

Return after "silence"

Like any talent, Edward Hopper needed help. And in 1920, the artist was lucky enough to meet a certain Gertrude Whitney, a very wealthy woman who was very interested in art. She was the daughter of the then famous millionaire Vanderbilt, so she could afford to be a patron of the arts. So, Gertrude Whitney wanted to collect the work of American artists and, of course, help them and provide conditions for work.

So, in 1920, she organized for Edward Hopper his first exhibition. Now the public reacted to his work with great interest. Suchpaintings by Edward Hopper,like "Evening Wind" and "Night Shadows", as well as some of his etchings.

However, it was not yet a resounding success. Yes and financial situation Hopper hardly improved, so he was forced to continue his work as an illustrator.

Long-awaited recognition

After several years of "silence" Edward Hopper still returns to painting. He has hope that his talent will be appreciated.

In 1923, Hopper marries Josephine Verstiel, a young artist. Their family life was quite difficult - Jo was jealous of her husband and even forbade him to draw nude female nature. However, such details of personal life are not significant for us. Interestingly, it was Jo who advised Hopper to try his hand at watercolor. And, we must pay tribute, this style led him to success.

The second exhibition was organized at the Brooklyn Museum. Six works by Edward Hopper were presented here. The museum acquired one of the paintings for its exposition. This is the starting point of a creative upsurge in the life of an artist.

Formation of style

It was during the period when Edward Hopper chose watercolor as his main technique that his own style finally crystallized. Hopper's paintings always show completely simple situations - people in their natural form, in ordinary cities. However, behind each such plot lies a subtle psychological picture that reflects deep feelings and states of mind.

For example, Night Owls by Edward Hopperat first glance, they may seem too simple - just a night cafe, a waiter and three visitors. However, this picture has two stories. According to one version, "Night owls" appeared as a result of impressions from Van Gogh's "Night Café in Arles". And according to another version, the plot was a reflection of E. Hemingway's story "The Killers". Filmed in 1946, the film "Killers" is rightfully considered the personification of not only the literary source, but also the style of Hopper's painting. It is important to note that"Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper(referred to as "Midnighters") largely influenced the style of another artist - David Lynch.

At the same time, Hopper does not abandon the technique of etching. Although he no longer experienced financial difficulties, he continued to create engravings. Of course, this genre also influenced the master's painting. A peculiar combination of techniques found a place in many of his works.

Confession

Since 1930, Hopper's success has become irreversible. His works are gaining more and more popularity and are present in the expositions of almost all museums in America. In 1931 alone, about 30 of his paintings were sold. Two years later, the New York Museum hosts his solo exhibition. With the improvement of the material condition, Hopper's style is also transformed. He has the opportunity to travel outside the city and paint landscapes. So, in addition to the city, the artist begins to paint small houses and nature.

Style

In Hopper's works, the images seem to freeze, stop. All those details that are impossible to catch in everyday life, to assess their significance, become visible. This partly justifies the directors' interest in Hopper's paintings. His paintings can be viewed like the changing frames of a film.

Hopper's realism is very closely intertwined with symbolism. One of the tricks is open windows and doors as a display of ringing loneliness. To some extent, this symbolism reflected state of mind author. The slightly ajar windows of the rooms, the doors to the cafe, where there is only one visitor, show one person among the vast world. Many years spent alone in search of an opportunity to create left their mark on the artist's attitude. And in the pictures, the soul of a person is, as it were, open, on display, but no one notices it.

For example, you can look at Edward Hopper's painting "Reclining nude". The image of a naked girl seems to be saturated with apathy and silence. And the calm color scheme and the unsteadiness of watercolor emphasize this state of bliss and emptiness. A whole plot is being drawn mentally - a young woman in an empty room, immersed in her thoughts. This is another feature Hopper's works are an opportunity to imagine the situation, the circumstances that brought the heroes into just such an environment.

Glass became another important symbol in the master's paintings. The same "Midnighters" show us the characters through the cafe window. This move can be seen very often in Hopper's work. The loneliness of the characters is also expressed in this way. The inability or inability to start a conversation - this is the glass. It is transparent and sometimes even imperceptible, but still cold and strong. As a kind of barrier that isolates the heroes from the whole world. This can be seen in the paintings "Automatic", "Morning Sun", "Office in New York".

Modernity

Until the end of his life, Edward Hopper did not stop working. My last picture"Comedians" he created just two years before his death. The artist participated in all the exhibitions of Whitney Hall, a museum created by his patroness, Gertrude Whitney. In 2012, 8 short films were released, dedicated to the artist. Any person, even a little familiar with his work, will say thatNighthawks by Edward Hopperthis is one of his most famous paintings. Reproductions of his works are now in demand all over the world, and the originals are highly valued. The uniqueness of his talent was still able to break through the avant-garde fashionable at that time, through critical views public, the hardships of an unemployed position. The paintings of Edward Hopper entered the history of painting as very subtle psychological works, captivating with their depth and unobtrusiveness.

The American artist Edward Hopper is considered by some to be an urbanist, by others as a representative of magical realism, and by some as a forerunner of pop art. Fans of Hopper's work enthusiastically call him "a dreamer without illusions" and "a poet of empty spaces." All opinions are united by Hopper's dramatic canvas called "Night Owls". It is recognizable as Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Edvard Munch's The Scream or Coolidge's Dogs Playing Poker. The incredible popularity of this work has put him among the icons of pop culture.

(Edward Hopper, 1882-1967) was a prominent representative of American genre painting of the 20th century. And, although it was during this period that new trends in art were born, he remained indifferent to the avant-garde changes and experiments of his colleagues. Contemporaries who kept pace with fashion were fond of cubism, surrealism and abstract art, and Hopper's painting was considered boring and conservative. Edward suffered, but did not change his ideals: “ How can they not understand: the originality of the artist is not ingenuity and not a method, especially not a fashionable method, it is the quintessence of personality ».

And the personality of Edward Hopper was very complex. And very closed. And to such an extent that after his death, perhaps the only source of information about his life and character was the diary of his wife. In one of the interviews, she said:

One day, a New Yorker magazine employee tried to write an essay on Edward's life. And I couldn't. There was no material. Nothing to write about. His real biography I could only write. And it would be pure Dostoevsky« .

So he was from childhood, although the boy grew up in a good family of the owner of a haberdashery shop in the town of Nyack (New York). The family was no stranger to art: on weekends, father, mother and children sometimes came to New York to visit art exhibitions or go to the theater. The boy secretly wrote down his impressions in a thick notebook. A lot of things were hidden there from adults. In particular, his experiences and resentments, when at the age of 12 he suddenly grew 30 cm over the summer and began to look terribly awkward and lanky. Classmates at every turn mocked and teased him about this. Perhaps from this unfortunate incident, Edward Hopper forever retained painful shyness, isolation and silence. His wife wrote in her diary: Saying anything to Ed is like throwing a rock down a bottomless well. Can't hear the splash «.

Naturally, this was reflected in the style of his paintings. Hopper liked to paint lifeless interiors and desert landscapes: railway cul-de-sacs leading to nowhere, deserted cafes, in which loneliness comes through. Window openings were a constant leitmotif of his work. The artist, as it were, was looking for a way out of his closed world. Or, perhaps, he secretly opened the entrance to himself: sunlight, falling through the windows into the rooms, slightly warmed the cold of Hopper's ascetic paintings. We can say that against the background of his gloomy landscapes and interiors, the sun's rays on his canvases exactly embody the metaphor " a ray of light in a dark realm «.

But mostly, Hopper depicted loneliness in his paintings. Hopper's even sunsets, streets and houses are lonely. Couples depicted on his canvases look no less lonely, especially couples. Mutual discontent and alienation between a man and a woman is a constant theme of Edward Hopper.

The topic had a completely vital basis: in the fortieth year of his life, Hopper married his peer Josephine Nivison, whom he had known since New York art school. They revolved in the same circles, were connected by the same interests, had similar views on many things. But their family life filled with all sorts of strife and scandals, sometimes reaching fights. According to the wife's diary, the rude husband was to blame for everything. At the same time, according to the recollections of acquaintances, it is clear that Jo herself was far from the ideal of the keeper of the family hearth. For example, when once her artist friends asked her: “ What is Edward's favorite food??” she said arrogantly, “ Don't you think that in our circle there is too much delicious food and too little good painting? Our favorite dish is a friendly tin of stewed beans.«.

Hopper's paintings of couples clearly depict the tragedy of his relationship with his wife. They lived suffering and torturing each other, and at the same time, they were inseparable. They were united by a love of French poetry, painting, theater and cinema - this was enough for them to stay together. Josephine was even a muse and the main model for Edward's paintings after 1923. In a couple of late visitors to the diner, depicted in his painting "Night Owls", the author once again clearly depicted himself and his wife, the alienation of the man and woman sitting next to each other is so obvious.

"Midnighters" (Nighthawks), 1942, Edward Hopper

By coincidence, it is the picture "Midnighters" became a cult work of art in the United States. (In the original it is called " Nighthawks", which can also be translated as " owls"). Edward Hopper painted Night Owls in 1942, just after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The event caused a feeling of oppression and anxiety throughout America. This explained the gloomy, diffused atmosphere of Hopper's canvas, where the visitors of the diner are lonely and thoughtful, the deserted street is lit by the dim light of a shop window, and a lifeless house serves as a background for everything. However, the author denied that he wanted to express some kind of depression. In his words, he perhaps unconsciously portrayed loneliness in the big city ».

In any case, Hopper's midnight cafe is a critical departure from the city cafes his counterparts have portrayed. Usually, these establishments always and everywhere carried a flair of romance and love. Vincent van Gogh, depicting a night cafe in Arles, did not use black paint at all, his people sit on an open terrace, and the sky, like a field of flowers, is strewn with stars.

Café Terrace at Night, Arles, 1888, Vincent van Gogh

Is it possible to compare his motley palette with the coolness and stinginess of Hopper's colors? And, nevertheless, looking at the painting "Night Owls", it becomes clear that behind the emphasized conciseness of Hopper's writing lies an abyss of expressiveness. His silent characters, immersed in their own thoughts, seem to be participants in a drama on a stage flooded with deadly fluorescent light. The viewer is hypnotically influenced by the geometry of parallel lines, the even rhythm of the lifeless windows of the neighboring building, which is echoed by the seats along the bar counter, the contrast of massive stone walls and transparent fragile glass, behind which the figures of four people took refuge on an island of light ... It seems that the author deliberately locked them here, hiding from the indifferent darkness of the street - looking closely, you can see that there is not a single visible exit from the room.

The painting "Night owls" had a major impact on American culture. Postmodernists have used the painting for countless parodic remakes based on literature, film, and painting.

Allusions and parodies of this work by Edward Hopper are found in many paintings, films, books and songs. Tom Waits named one of his albums " Nighthawks at the Diner» — « Midnighters at the diner". This canvas is one of the favorite works of director David Lynch. It also influenced the appearance of the city in the film by Ridley Scott "Blade Runner".

Inspired by Night Owls, Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein made a famous remake called " Boulevard of broken dreams ". Instead of faceless characters, he placed 4 celebrities in the cosmic void of loneliness - Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, Elvis Presley and James Dean. Thus hinting at how senselessly their lives and talents have sunk into the void prematurely: Presley died as a result of long-term use and abuse of alcohol and drugs; Marilyn died of an overdose of antidepressants; Bogart's death was also the result of alcohol abuse, and James Dean died in a tragic car accident.

Other spoof remake writers have used US iconic pieces from various art fields. First of all, the most popular - American cinema with its famous characters, superheroes of comics and stories known to the whole world. The gloomy style of black-and-white film noir perfectly matched the mood of Hopper's painting ( film noir ).

To be sure, watch the "cut" of frames from the noir films of the 40s, which are replaced by the song " Boulevard of broken dreams ". (In 2005, members of the Punk Green Day group stated that their second single received this title and related posters under the direct influence of Hopper's painting).

Also ironically, the remakes played on many other Hollywood fetishes.

star Wars

The Simpsons

family guy

based on the cult comic The Adventures of Tintin

Superman and Batman

Zombie

remake on the theme of m / f "Dead Bride", directed by Tim Burton

Various popular shows and series did not escape the fate of becoming parody remakes of Hopper's paintings.

parody poster on the theme of the comedy television series "Seinfeld" (1989-1998)

parody poster on the theme of the crime series "C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation"

Of course, in the parodies, the closed space of the cafe was played up, emphasized by the author in his picture.

And the cold tones of the picture and the asceticism of the palette caused many jokers to associate with outer space.

All sorts of American clichés of the urban landscape were also in use.

Well, where there is a night street and there are no cops nearby, it is quite logical that a street graffiti bully Banksy may appear, however, here he is throwing plastic chairs into a cafe window.

You can still give hundreds of examples of ironic remakes of Edward Hopper's paintings, made on all sorts of topics. This is one of the most common internet memes. And such fertility only confirms that true masterpieces are not subject to time.

(1967-05-15 ) (84 years old) A place of death: Origin: Citizenship: