Hopper in Paris

Hopper in Paris presents works by Edward Hopper exclusively on loan from the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art. These defining works were created during the iconic American painter’s early career while he lived in and visited Paris. 

In 1906, following his artistic training with William Merritt Chase and Robert Henri at the New York School of Art, Edward Hopper (b. 1882, Upper Nyack, NY; d. 1967, New York, NY) lived for a year in Paris, later returning for shorter sojourns in 1909 and 1910. The works on loan from the Whitney—quiet, urban scenes devoid of people—are critical early examples, painted before Hopper returned to the U.S. and began creating his images of American life and identity. In Paris, Hopper enjoyed observing and capturing everyday life on the streets and visiting exhibitions to see the latest expressions in modern art. His picturesque views of the Parisian landscape are rendered in stark contrasts of light and dark, framed from high vantage points and striking angles, presaging elements that would become the hallmark of his mature work.

IMAGE: Edward Hopper, Le Pavillon de Flore (1909), Oil on canvas, 23 5/8 x 28 13/16 in., Josephine N. Hopper Bequest. © Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper/Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York