Hopper's Places, Second edition
Category: Books,Arts & Photography,Photography & Video
Hopper's Places, Second edition Details
Review "This comparative view illustrates Hopper's compositional approach, his use of cropping, his exaggeration of the vertical or horizontal elements, and his simplifications, which Levin details. . . . The photographs themselves, taken in most cases several decades after the paintings were made, are equally illustrative of America's changing landscape."--"Library Journal Read more From the Inside Flap "Gail Levin's insightful, stimulating, and readable book has proven an invaluable reference for students taking studio art classes. It has key use as an exploration into the question of the sources from which artists derive their ideas."―Walter Hattke, Baker Professor of Fine Arts, Union College Read more See all Editorial Reviews
Reviews
I loved this book! If the most important trait to have as an artist is to "see" like an artist, then this gives you insight into what one of America's greatest saw. Anybody who has picked up my copy of the book has been fascinated, even if they aren't painters themselves. The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5, was the analysis of some of Hopper's subjects. It seemed, after reading what the author wrote about the paintings, that she spent too much time in academia and not enough time painting. She attributes more complex motives to some of Hopper's compositions than he intended, I think. For instance, I suspect that the only reason he painted the dead tree in front of Libby House was that he found it artistically interesting. I don't think he was trying to show "past decay" against the present, but who knows?In the end, I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves Hopper or the realist style.
