Edward Hopper

by Edward Hopper, Tomàs Llorens (Editor), Edward Hopper (Illustrator)

Edward Hopper is as quintessentially American as Jackson Pollock or Andy Warhol. Like them, his imagery has reached far beyond the realm of art to impact on our culture in the broadest terms, so that we see early twentieth-century America through his work, as much as within it. The painter Charles Burchfield attributed Hopper’s success to his “bold individualism,” declaring that “in him we have regained that sturdy American independence which Thomas Eakins gave us.” Hopper’s art was profoundly of its time, both in its expression of the subtle melancholies of modern life and in its deeply cinematic qualities--perhaps Hopper’s greatest gift was his treatment of light--to which directors from Alfred Hitchcock to Wim Wenders have paid homage.
This volume presents a definitive Hopper monograph. Published for a massive retrospective at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, and the Grand Palais in Paris, it approaches Hopper’s relatively small oeuvre in two sections. The first covers the artist’s formative years from approximately 1900 to 1924, examining a selection of sketches, paintings, drawings, illustrations, prints and watercolors, which are considered alongside works by painters that influenced Hopper, such as Winslow Homer, Robert Henri, John Sloan, Edgar Degas and Walter Sickert. The second section considers the years from 1925 onwards, addressing his mature output through chronological but thematic groupings. Comprehensive in its scope, with a wealth of color reproductions, Hopper is the last word on the artist.

Genres: Nonfiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2012

About the author

Edward Hopper was a prominent American realist painter and printmaker. While most popularly known for his oil paintings, he was equally proficient as a watercolorist and printmaker in etching. In both his urban and rural scenes, his spare and finely calculated renderings reflected his personal vision of modern American life.

Reviews

[Aruna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Review: Hopper

Edward Hopper is widely recognized as one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century, and this book does a wonderful job of capturing the power of 'quietness' and 'rhythm' of his work. It’s more than just a collection of paintings—it feels like a thoughtfully curated journey through Hopper’s world, filled with silence, light, and unspoken emotion.

Early Life

Born in 1882, Hopper studied art in New York and, like many artists of his time, struggled early in his career. He worked as a commercial illustrator for years, developing his painting style in the process. Things began to shift in the mid-1920s with the success of works like House by the Railroad, which marked the beginning of his signature style: quiet, often eerie scenes bathed in stark, contemplative light, and centered around moments of solitude. Though he achieved a reasonable level of recognition during his lifetime, Hopper's work didn't become a cultural icon in America until long after his death.

Hopper’s Style

What’s especially intriguing about Hopper’s art is its stark simplicity. His compositions rely heavily on strong geometry, the interplay of light and shadow, and minimal detail. The figures in his paintings often appear distant or introspective—sitting alone in diners, gazing out windows, or wandering through deserted streets. These are everyday moments, yet they’re filled with an emotional weight that lingers. Hopper’s work feels honest, somber, and profoundly isolating.

Nighthawks

Take Nighthawks, for example—perhaps his most iconic painting, shows a brightly lit diner on a dark, empty street, with a few silent patrons inside. No one really interacts with each other; they just exist in the same space, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts. There’s both a physical and emotional separation between them and us. The glass window keeps us at a distance, heightening the sense of detachment. It’s a haunting image, but there's also something quietly comforting about its stillness. Hopper often keeps the viewer at arm’s length from the scene, and in Nighthawks, this detachment adds a somber, cinematic layer to the painting.

Use of Color

One of the things I like most about Hopper’s work is his color palette. It’s never flashy or overdone—instead, it’s controlled, and intentional. Warm sunlight, deep blue shadows, faded walls—every hue feels deliberate. His colors carry mood without saying a word. The tension between warm and cool tones adds emotional depth, and his careful balance of light and shadow gives even the quietest moments a powerful resonance.

Influence

Hopper’s influence stretches well beyond painting. The influence stretches into literature, film, and especially street photography. His framing of solitary figures, empty streets, and dramatic lighting is echoed in countless modern photographs. He showed us that stillness can be striking and that even the most ordinary street corners hold stories waiting to be told.

Overall, this book is a thoughtful introduction to Edward Hopper’s world. Whether you’re a long-time admirer or new to his work, it invites you to slow down, look more closely, and find beauty in the quiet, everyday moments we often overlook.

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's all here, Hoppers life, his work, his art, loneliness.