Great American Artists - Edward Hopper

Edward Hopper was born in upstate New York in 1882 to a middle class family. He knew from early on that he wanted to earn his living as an artist. His family encouraged him but wanted him to study commercial illustration as it offered a more secure and stable way of life. He studied for a time in Europe and was most impressed by Rembrandt's The Night Watch. He first enjoyed commercial success in 1924 at a sell out show of his work in New York City. He became best known as a realist and his paintings were known for their starkness and loneliness. His most famous works were oil paintings, but he was also accomplished as a printmaker and water colorist. Two of his most recognizable paintings are featured above: Nighthawks and Gas. His style as you can see is unmistakeable.