ART GALLERY - Edward Hopper

Edward Hopper (American, 1882–1967), the best-known American realist of the inter-war period and one of my favourits. Portuguese Church in Gloucester (1923), Watercolor over black chalk and pencil. 13 1/2 x 19 1/2 in.

The summer of 1923 he spent in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he began to paint watercolors regularly. One of these, Portuguese Church, shows some of his typical urban isolation but tempered by Hopper's delicate color choices, reflecting the colors of the nearby sea. There is also a sense of release; the bright sunshine and the gaily waving flag suggest a time of summer leisure.