Customer Reviews

Edward Hopper (Library of American Art Series)

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Edward Hopper is best known for his urban, moody paintings. He painted traditional rural landscapes, and seaside scenes along the New Englad coast, too. What he captured best, though, was urban life in the 1940s.

He seems to have caught it all, the bridges, trains, opera, and tenements, at every hour of day and night. And very often he captured someone, often a woman, in a moment of solitude. These scenes border on voyeurism, the unguarded moments when his subjects might be dressed, or partly, or not - with no one to dress for, it hardly matters. There is nothing erotic in these nudes and semi-nudes. In fact, I quite like the unposed, unpoised relaxation of the moment. Hopper is quite capable of showing a female figure as strong and desirable, as in "Office at Night" or "Summer Evening" I sympathize more with the figures who have no one to pose for; they seem more honest somehow.

People say that many of his paintings are about loneliness, and that may be true. I think more of them are about solitude, or separation, or the invisible walls that people erect to keep themselves sane in the urban crush. In "Two on the Aisle," as in so many paintings of two or more people, the two parties seem barely aware of each other. Even within the couple, they scarcely look at each other, as if long familiarity means there's nothing new to see.

Of 246 paintings reproduced here, only 88 are in color. They are well printed, and capture Hopper's generally subdued palette. They are just enough to make me greedy, though, and to wish I could see more in the colors that Hopper gave them. There's a lot of work here, including a number of etchings, from Hopper's earlier ouvre as well. I don't mean to neglect those works, but his 40s and 50s pieces have an incredible power over me.

The commentary occupies about half the book, and gives real insight into Hopper's life. I have to admit, I skimmed the words, only dipping into them occasionally. That just gives me more reason (as if I needed reason) to come back again. And again and again.

This book really is beautiful. If more of it were in color, it would have the highest praise I know how to give.

//wiredweird.

Most comprehensive single volume regarding Hopper and his work, that I am aware of, and the reprints of the work are accurate and true to the originals. A significant book about a significant painter.

A gorgeous book with a well-written, informative and enjoyable text. Obviously I wish there could be more color in the book--but it's an older book and they couldn't do as much color then, and I doubt that could be upgraded for a reprint edition at half the price.

The size is a great factor, too--the book is huge and you get the feeling you're looking at the actual size watercolors in that part of the book.

I came across Hopper's paintings, when I was doing reproductions of famous artists as my partial work in high school. They immediately caught my attention and excitement, as they had an odd quality, which no other painters had in their work. Vast spaces, empty streets, newly-woke-up ladies in old-fashion motel rooms, extreme light conditions that contradicted the monotonousness in some way... These are some of the major images one is apt to see in Hopper's works.

Hopper's paintings seem to depict the 20s-40s of America, in the context of local towns, cafes, old rooms, within the frame of realism. He's usually painted his figures in an alignment, that does not let us see their faces nor fronts. Instead, the sun has the right to see them, which casts bright light rays into dark rooms.

I think that Hopper seems to be content with the way of living in America, and how people of it carry on their lives. The paintings may indicate some not-so-happy situations, but they do not depict depression. Therefore, I think that Hopper is the best representative of American culture in the early twentieth century in that sense.

I haven't purchased the book yet; but had a chance to look at it in the school's library. The book contains many of his paintings, and Goodrich's comments show some level of apprehension and knowledge of Hopper's work. It is concise and comprehensive, and I recommend it to everybody. Hopper is certainly one of the most affective artists of the twentieth century and all times.

Delighted at the quality and speed of this transaction.
Apalled however at $A100 postage for a $US30 item.
Need option of low priority surface mail. Do they still have ships?
Hang the expense. It made a good gift.
Peter Geddes