Oral history interview with Edward Hopper
name: label: Creator
content: Hopper, Edward, 1882-1967
label: Interviewer
content: Morse, John D., 1906-
topic: label: Topic
content: Painters -- New York (State) -- Interviews
label: Topic
content: Painting, Modern -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: Realism
label: Topic
content: Painting -- Technique
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
creator: label: Creator
content: Hopper, Edward, 1882-1967
label: Interviewer
content: Morse, John D., 1906-
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Edward Hopper, (b. 1882; d. 1967), painter of New York, N.Y.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Sound tape reel (Sound recording, 3 3/4 ips., 7 in.)
label: Extent
content: 12 Pages (Transcript)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1959 June 17
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.hopper59
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sound tape reels
label: Type
content: Pages
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Interviews
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: An interview of Edward Hopper conducted 17 June 1959, by John D. Morse, for the Archives of American Art.
label: Scope and Contents
content: This interview was conducted in the Board Room of the Whitney Museum. The interview begins with the reading of Mr. Hopper's 1933 "Notes on Painting" in which Hopper states that the aim of painting is to create the most exact transcription of the most intimate impression of nature. Mr. Hopper then speaks of his change of feelings since the publication of this statement; his realization that the return to nature which he had prophesied has not yet occurred; his move towards realism despite contemporary abstraction (citing Eakins similar position in the 17th century); techniques on canvas and use of zinc; his decision to avoid protective varnishes in the belief that it is the responsibility of the owner to keep the works preserved; his success as a subconscious result of his painting honestly; the belief that "Apartment Houses" crystallized his style from thenceforth. Mr. Hopper then reads a statement that was published in Reality magazine in 1953 in which Hopper posits that art is an outward expression of inner life. In an addendum, John Morse states that a ledger of all of Mr. Hopper's works, catalogue dates, and prices exists.Hopper reads from two statements on art written for other purposes. He also comments on the materials he uses, why he choses some of the subjects he does, and his predictions about the future of American art.