The Art Newspaper: Hopper's New England Epiphany
July 1, 2023
GLOUCESTER, MA. It may surprise some that it took over 40 years for Edward Hopper (1882-1967) to sell more than one painting. Throughout the early 1900s he experienced constant frustration and uncertainty, wandering between Europe, New York and New England in an attempt to cultivate a distinct voice. Driven by a staunch individualist ethos, Hopper refused affiliation with existing art movements and became somewhat of a outlier, languishing in obscurity and surviving on commercial illustration while his former art school colleagues achieved the sales and recognition that he longed for. Then, in the summer of 1923 he made for the coastal village of Gloucester, Massachusetts - a popular haven for artists - and everything changed.