Photo source: Wikimedia Commons, Library of Congress
Edward Hopper (1882-1967) was an American painter best known for his contributions to realism. Wikipedia says,
"Hopper derived his subject matter from two primary sources: one, the common features of American life (gas stations, motels, restaurants, theaters, railroads, and street scenes) and its inhabitants; and two, seascapes and rural landscapes." (Wikipedia: Edward Hopper, 8.13.21)The rest of this post is some quotes from Hopper.
Subconscious
"In every work of genius we recognize our rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty." (Quoted in How Edward Hopper Saw the Light by Joseph Phelan)
"Great art is the outward expression of an inner life in the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision of the world... The inner life of a human being is a vast and varied realm." (Statements by Four Artists, 1953)
Cities
"I've always been interested in approaching a big city in a train, and I can't exactly describe the sensations, but they're entirely human and perhaps have nothing to do with aesthetics. there is a certain fear and anxiety and a great visual interest in the things that one sees coming into a great city." (Interview with John Morse, 1959)
"Paris is a very graceful and beautiful city, almost too formal and sweet to the taste after the raw disorder of New York. Everything seems to have been planned with the purpose of forming a most harmonious whole, which certainly has been done.. Every street here is alive with all sorts of conditions of people, priests, nuns, students, and always the little soldiers with red pants." (Letter to his mother, 1906)
"To me the most important thing is the sense of going on. You know how beautiful things are when you're traveling." (Quoted in Edward Hopper in Sao Paulo by Seitz and Goodrich)
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