The Early Works of Edward Hopper

In these short clips, Views on Art host, Ruth Bowman, speaks with American painter and printmaker, Edward Hopper, about two of his earlier works of art.

Mention the name Edward Hopper and, for most, Nighthawks (1942) immediately comes to mind - a now iconic scene portraying the lone occupants of a late-night Greenwich Village diner. But before this mature oil painting came his Gloucester watercolor series, made towards the beginning of his artistic career. The paintings were first shown at the Brooklyn Museum in 1923, and one painting in particular, The Mansard Roof (1923) was added to the museum's permanent collection for the purchase price of $100.

In this interview, Edward Hopper speaks to his interests and inspiration for both The Mansard Roof (1923) and an unidentified painting of New York City, which, according to the artist, is "the American city that I know best and like most." What appeals to him are roofs, windows and turrets, structure, color and light. Hopper briefly discusses his artistic methods, his dislike for the term "American scene," and his former aspiration of becoming a naval architect.

WNYC archives id: 8796