When Edward Hopper first met fellow painter and future spouse Josephine Nivison in 1923, he had not sold a painting in 10 years. Jo, on the other hand, was at her most productive, both showing and selling her artwork. When Jo recommended Hopper’s paintings to gallerists, his career began to soar while hers faltered.
Video Features
Clip | Edward Hopper’s career soared as wife Jo Nivison’s faltered
Clip | Edward Hopper’s simple lifestyle with wife Jo
Clip | Edward Hopper’s work showed a narrow view of New York
Clip | A closer look at Edward Hopper’s “Automat” and “Chop Suey”
Clip | Edward Hopper’s childhood in Nyack, New York
Clip | Rare interview footage of Edward Hopper on his process
Written Features
TRANSCRIPT
(gentle music) - Edward Hopper first comes to Gloucester in 1912.
At that time, he's still making his way.
He hasn't even sold his first painting.
When he returns in 1923, he meets Jo Nivison.
We know they were attracted to one another, and they both remember the moment where Edward Hopper began reciting quite slowly, poetry by Paul Verlaine, his favorite symbolist.
And without missing a beat, Jo picked up where he left off and recited the poem in French.
So that was where they cite the beginning of their understanding that they were more than painting partners.
They were gonna become life partners.
- In 1923, Hopper had not sold a painting in 10 years.
In the Armory show in 1913, he sold an oil called "Sailing."
But in the ensuing 10 years, he had exhibited work and had no sales.
Jo, at the same time during that period, was probably at her most productive.
She was showing her work in numerous exhibitions with the other modern painters of the day, and also selling her work.
- She recommended him to gallerists and got him some interest in his work, from which point on his career soared and hers sort of seemed to collapse.
(gentle music) - [Voice Of Hopper] At Gloucester, when everyone else would be painting ships and the waterfront, I'd just go around looking at houses.
(gentle music) - Mansard Roof is a house that still stands today on Rocky Neck in Gloucester Harbor, but it seems to me the most joyous that we think of Edward Hopper ever, and when it is shown at the Brooklyn Museum exhibition, that becomes the first sale of any work Edward Hopper has had since 1913.
So in a decade, and they pay $100 for it to enter the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Museum.
And it's on that basis, Jo's advocacy, her painting side by side with him in Gloucester, then he's off and running on his career.
