Edward Hopper
June 7–Dec 3, 2006
Edward Hopper, Soir Bleu, 1914. Oil on canvas, Overall: 36 × 72 in. (91.4 × 182.9 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Josephine N. Hopper Bequest 70.1208. © Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY
The definition of an American original, Edward Hopper created unforgettable images of everyday life imbued with an understated dramatic force. Through his extraordinary manipulation of space and light, Hopper's works hover between the theatrical and the strangely familiar.
The entire fifth floor of the Museum is devoted to a large-scale presentation of works by Hopper, whose legacy is closely connected to the Whitney--home to the most extensive holdings of his work in the world. On view are not only the Whitney's most iconic Hopper paintings, but also an extraordinary selection of drawings and sketches made in preparation for these works. The Whitney's holdings are supplemented by key loans, including such major paintings as the Art Institute of Chicago's Nighthawks (1942), on view beginning October 4, and the Museum of Modern Art's New York Movie (1939).