Edward Hopper’s sunny and melancholy New England landscapes/ photo gallery
Edward Hopper, a great artist of the American way of life, painted the tranquil landscapes of New England like no other, especially those of Cape Cod, always imbued with a gentle melancholy.
The young Edward Hopper (1882-1967) returned to New York for good and began a (not very interesting) career as an advertising agent after spending time in Europe.
Beginning in the 1910s, he escaped the city to explore the far reaches of New England. This vast territory, which stretches from the plains of Massachusetts to the shores of the Atlantic and encompasses six states, has inspired generations of painters before him, beginning with the great American realists and Hudson River School painters such as Thomas Cole.
Photo credit: MET, „The lighthouse at two lights”, 1929, Edward Hopper
Fascinated by the warm light that envelops the green hills of Maine, Hopper was also fascinated by the vernacular architecture of this region, with its small white houses and isolated lighthouses. He also devoted much of his time to coastal landscapes that invite solitary contemplation.
In the 1930s, the artist lived part of the year at Cape Code, where he built a house for which he drew the plans himself and painted it on several occasions, with the figure of his wife, Jo Hopper. A talented painter, she was equally inspired by the sunny landscapes and the melancholic atmosphere of New England.
Photo credit: Whitney Museum of American Art, „Cape Cod Bay”, 1965, Edward Hopper
New England owes its name to the English explorer and captain John Smith, who mapped this northeast American region in 1614. This vast territory is inextricably linked to the colonial history of the United States: it was in New England, at Cape Cod, that the Mayflower landed with the Pilgrim Fathers from England in search of religious freedom.
The county, which encompasses no less than six US states, has no shortage of points of interest. Cape Cod is a charming destination, with picturesque villages, churches and solitary lighthouses, not to mention fishermen’s cottages where you can buy fresh fish – a specialty that gave the place its name (‘cod’).
Foto credit: Dallas Museum of Art, „Lighthouse Hill”, 1928, Edward Hopper
