These two great painters of the 20th century, both came to prominence in the inter war years in America. They are often regarded as the two “big names” of this period, even though they are of the same generation, working in the same environment at the same time there is a distinct difference between them.
O’Keeffe’s painting has its roots in the American response to European modernism, she was part of the 291 group based in New York and was greatly influenced by her fellow painters, Dove, Demuth, Sheeler and the photography of Stieglitz and Strand. Her early work leans toward abstraction, mainly landscapes and still life’s. It was through the magnification of shape and colour that she developed the large flower paintings for which she is best known. Running concurrently with this “flower period” are O’Keeffe’s New York paintings where she captured the essence of the city. The subject matter was often the city’s architecture and the way buildings respond to different light conditions, the use of light, shadow and reflection (day and night) produced work with a distinctly atmospheric quality. From the 1930s onwards O’Keeffe spent more time in New Mexico, where she would later make her permanent home. The desert landscape proved a great inspiration to her; she continued to evolve the use of close up, where she intensified the use of colour and shape especially in the paintings of local architecture. Although she travelled extensively in later life New Mexico remained her home and inspiration, she had a long and successful career and continued to paint until her death in 1986.
Edward Hopper on the other hand, stems from the realism of the Ash Can school, European modernism seems to have little influence (whenever questioned, Hopper stated he was an impressionist). He is often regarded as an American scene painter but this label is to limiting to what Hopper achieved in his painting. In both his landscapes and interior scenes Hopper paints pictures of modern life in an honest and personal way. His figures often appear lonely or isolated, many a discussion has taken place about the Freudian aspects of self or the social and personal impact of modern life and the economic depression of the times, he captures private moments in public places, restaurants, hotel rooms, cinemas and offices. His work has an aspect of sadness and strangeness that often leaves the viewer in a voyeuristic position. Hopper’s work continues to be an enigma to us, they have an indefinable quality that draws us to them, and maybe allows us to witness an echo or a reflection of our own lives.
Both these painters had long and successful careers, even through the economic depression and later when Abstract Expressionism became the prevailing style; this is surely a testament to their work and our response to it.
