Edward Hopper in Vermont

Edward Hopper in Vermont by Clause, Bonnie Tocher. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9781611683288.

Edward and Jo Hopper first discovered Vermont in 1927, making day trips from the Whitney Studio Clubs summer retreat for New York artists in Charlestown, New Hampshire. In 1935 and 1936 the Hoppers again traveled to Vermont, this time from their summer home in Cape Cod, in Edwards continuing search for new places to paint. During these quests they identified the White River and what Edward considered to be Vermonts "finest" river valley, and they returned there for longer visits in 1937 and 1938, boarding at Robert and Irene Slaters Wagon Wheels farm in South Royalton. These "vacations" were a change from the usual tempo of their lives, a break from the studio-bound easels, canvas, and oils, an opportunity to paint something different, to be in a new place and paint en plein air. Over the course of Vermont sojourns, Edward Hopper produced some two dozen paintings, watercolors that are among the most distinctive of his regional works, strongly characterized by place. In this accessible volume, Bonnie Tocher Clause tells the story of the Hoppers visits to Vermont, their stays on the Slater farm, and their introduction to farm life. She locates the sites shown in Hoppers Vermont paintings, identifies two watercolors not previously recognized as Vermont scenes, and traces the development of Hoppers singular interpretations of the Vermont landscape. In Edward Hopper in Vermont, Clause details the provenance of the Vermont paintings through the years, tracking the history of sales leading to the works ultimate homes with private collectors and museums. Showcasing all of the Vermont paintings in color, this volume will delight both the fans of Hoppers work and those who are fascinated by the story of the creation, collection, and business of producing great art.