Edward Hopper's simple lifestyle with wife Jo
Clip: 1/2/2024 | 1m 55sVideo has Closed Captions
Edward and Jo Hopper lived an extremely frugal life.
Edward and Jo Hopper lived an extremely frugal life, with just a hot plate to cook on and their living room used as an art studio. Hopper had a reputation for being gruff and unfriendly, while Jo loved to have drinks and chats with friends.
Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...
Edward Hopper's simple lifestyle with wife Jo
Clip: 1/2/2024 | 1m 55sVideo has Closed Captions
Edward and Jo Hopper lived an extremely frugal life, with just a hot plate to cook on and their living room used as an art studio. Hopper had a reputation for being gruff and unfriendly, while Jo loved to have drinks and chats with friends.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- The studio where Edward Hopper painted was actually in the living room of the actual house.
In the drawings, for example, this is a drawing by Jo Hopper of the potbelly stove that they had inside with a tea kettle on the top.
They did not have an actual oven or stove in the house.
They had a little hot plate.
She didn't cook.
She didn't like to cook.
If you ran into them in the street, you would probably think that they were at the poverty level.
Their house was very simple and plain.
They lived unbelievably frugally.
I don't think he was a very nice person, especially to his wife.
I don't think he was very nice to people in general.
- I was a house guest here of Nana and Grandpa Marshall.
When I realized that Mr. Hopper was in the room, that he was one of the guests, I immediately went up to him and introduced myself and told him that I had just finished studying about him in a humanities class that I took at school.
And I was just so thrilled to meet him.
And his response was so gruff and cut me off in such a way that I just decided that perhaps I'd overstepped my bounds.
- They'd stop by the house, especially around cocktail time.
They'd just kind of show up.
(laughs) And Josephine would knock on the door and say, "Marie, is it all right if we come in?"
And they'd come in, and he never said anything.
I mean, he would talk once in a while, but not very often.
And he just let her do her thing and he would, you know, come into the house, sit, have his drink.
(slow music) Jo, you couldn't shut her up.
A closer look at Edward Hopper's "Automat" and "Chop Suey"
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Edward Hopper displayed a preference for quieter social commentary with his art. (1m 59s)
Edward Hopper's career soared as wife Jo Nivison's faltered
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Edward Hopper's career soared while his wife Jo Nivison's faltered. (2m 31s)
Edward Hopper's childhood in Nyack, New York
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Edward Hopper was raised in Nyack, where his creativity was fostered by his parents. (2m 3s)
Edward Hopper's work showed a narrow view of New York
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Edward Hopper showed no interest in the growing diversity of America. (2m 39s)
HOPPER: An American love story
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Discover the secrets behind Edward Hopper’s most iconic and enigmatic works. (1m 2s)
HOPPER: An American love story (EAD + ASL + OC Trailer)
Discover the secrets behind Edward Hopper’s most iconic and enigmatic works. (2m 10s)
Rare interview footage of Edward Hopper on his process
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Edward Hopper joins Brian O'Doherty for a conversation about his process and inspirations. (29m 7s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipSupport for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...