Encore Friday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / Stream now with the PBS App
Best known for iconic and enigmatic works including “Nighthawks,” “Chop Suey” and “House by the Railroad,” realist painter Edward Hopper has inspired countless artists and filmmakers, from Alfred Hitchcock to Ridley Scott to the creators of “The Simpsons.” But little is known about Hopper’s own influences. AMERICAN MASTERS "HOPPER: An American love story" reveals the man behind the brush and explores how his marriage to fellow artist Josephine Nivison Hopper shaped his art and career.
Featuring a generous selection of Hopper’s evocative images, revealing research and rare archival footage, the film offers an exploration into his complex life, and how he became an enigmatic yet wildly popular artist. Hopper’s story is further illuminated through readings of letters and diary entries, voiced by Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons (“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”) and Emmy Award winner Christine Baranski (“The Gilded Age”) as Edward and Josephine, respectively. Isabel May (“1923”) also voices Hopper’s earlier, secret romantic interest Alta Hilsdale.
"HOPPER: An American love story" reveals that one cannot understand Edward Hopper without understanding his relationship with his wife, Jo. Before Hopper became one of the most well-known American artists, he sold his first painting, “Sailing,” for $250 and did not sell another for 11 years.
His fortune changed dramatically when he met fellow artist Josephine Nivison in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Nivison becomes Hopper’s primary model, marketer and muse. Her candid diaries chronicle her experience giving up her own promising career to take on the management of her husband’s work to boost his reputation and sales. With excerpts from rare television interviews, the film captures Edward Hopper’s peculiar personality and insight into his own art, as well as Josephine’s reflections on her sacrifice for him.
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