"A definitive biography." Robert Hughes, Time "A nearly flawless account of a remarkable artist . . . a compelling and accessible narrative for anyone even remotely interested in modern American art." Michael Kammen, The New York Times Book Review This acclaimed biography of Edward Hopper is essential reading for anyone interested in the world-famous realist artist. This second, expanded edition doubles the number of illustrations, and includes a new section of paintings in color. A newly added section on Hopper's international influence on culture, especially on contemporary art, poetry, and cinema, makes this edition unique. The original biography (Edward Hopper: An Intimate Biography, Knopf, 1995) has long been considered the seminal review of Edward Hopper's life and work. The biography's focus is the laconic, introverted painter's stormy forty-three-year marriage to outspoken and gregarious Josephine ("Jo") Nivison, herself an artist, and draws extensively on Jo Hopper's intimate diaries, which she kept from the early 1930s until shortly before her death in 1968 (just 10 months after her husband died).In the art of Edward Hopper (1882-1967), tense, unhappy men and women, in whom we recognize something of our neighbors and ourselves, play out mysterious dramas in silent, stripped-down spaces - stages raked by an unrelenting and revealing light. These people, and Hopper's equally evocative landscapes and houses, make us wonder: what kind of man had this haunting vision, and what kind of life engendered his art.No one is better qualified to answer this question than the art historian Gail Levin, author of the major studies of Hopper's work (including the catalogue raisonne) and curator of many exhibitions that explored his development and cultural context. Delving deeply into his art after years of study and assembling an archive of unpublished letters and diaries, she wrote "An Intimate Biography," which reveals the true nature and personality of the man himself - and of the woman who shared his life and helped shape his art.This second, expanded edition doubles the number of illustrations, including a new section of paintings in color, and presents the author's analysis of the book's impact and reception. A newly added section of Hopper's international influence on culture, especially on contemporary art and cinema, makes this edition unique.Levin (art history, City U. of New York-Baruch College and Graduate Center) updates her biography of American painter Hopper (1882-1967), which was first published in 1995 by Alfred A. Knopf. Three new essays discuss his legacy for visual arts and for cinema, and the recovery of Jo Nivison Hopper. Also included are nearly 100 color reproductions. Annotation ⓒ2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) |
