House Tops

1915–1923

Turning to etching

At an impasse over his oil paintings, in 1915 Hopper turns to etching; by 1923 he has produced most of his approximately 70 etchings, many of them urban scenes of Paris and New York, as well as some posters for the war effort.

1916–1919

Monhegan Island: seascapes

Hopper paints the majority of his pure seascapes of rocks, sea and beach grass on Monhegan Island between 1916 and 1919, mostly in strong light and fair weather.

January 1920

A one-man show at the Whitney Studio Club

In January 1920 a one-man exhibition of Hopper's work is held at the Whitney Studio Club, the precursor to the Whitney Museum; earlier, in 1917, he took part in a show of the Society of Independent Artists, and in 1922 he exhibits again at the Whitney Studio Club.

early 1920s

His etchings gain recognition

During the early 1920s Hopper's etchings begin to receive public recognition; they express some of his later themes: a couple in silence (“Night on the El Train”), a solitary female (“Evening Wind”) and a simple nautical scene (“The Catboat”).

summer 1923

Gloucester: meeting Josephine again, and the watercolours

In the summer of 1923, on a painting trip to Gloucester, Hopper re-encounters the artist Josephine Nivison; with her encouragement he turns to watercolour, producing numerous scenes of Gloucester. They marry a year later, with the artist Guy Pène du Bois as best man.

1923

The Brooklyn Museum buys “The Mansard Roof”

With Josephine's help six of Hopper's Gloucester watercolours are admitted to an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, and one of them, “The Mansard Roof”, is bought by the museum for its permanent collection for $100; the critics generally rave about his work.