Silent Theater: The Art of Edward Hopper

Silent Theater: The Art of Edward Hopper illuminatesthe life and work of one of America's most celebrated yet enigmaticartists.Through a close study of the themes, emotions, and imagery thatpreoccupied Hopper (1882-1967) throughout his life, Walter Wells presentsmany new insights, especially into the haunting silence and loneliness atthe heart of the artist's vision.Hopper's paintings are often described as belonging to a school of Americanrealism, and were in part inspired by the works of European realists suchas Gustave Courbet and Edouard Manet; however, the underlying themes ofloneliness, melancholy, and silence that pervade his works also recall thesurrealist, dreamlike images of Giorgio de Chirico.These elements of thedream world and the subconscious - psychological states that are intrinsicto all people, however little we understand them - may be what makeHopper's work so universally compelling.The paintings embody aparticularly American sensibility; Hopper's evocative depictions of bothurban and rural settings - including theatre interiors, railways,restaurants, gas stations, hotels, street scenes, and coastal landscapes -have become iconic images of early twentieth-century American culture.Walter Wells' informative yet eminently readable monograph explores themany facets of Hopper's art, discussing from various perspectives hisetchings, watercolors, and oil paintings, which represent a wide range ofsubjects.Particular attention is paid to the literary works from whichHopper took inspiration, as well as the ways in which the artist's ownpsychology and emotional states influenced his output.