Monhegan Landscape 1919

Curator: Editor: Okay, next up we have "Monhegan Landscape," painted in 1919 by Edward Hopper, using oil paint. It’s… brighter than I expected from Hopper, actually! What strikes me is the visible brushwork; you can really see how he built up the layers of paint to create this scene. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Consider the plein-air approach; painting outside demanded a rapid, efficient method. Note how Hopper used thick applications of paint. This wasn’t just about capturing a fleeting impression. This speaks to the ready availability and relatively low cost of oil paints by the early 20th century which changed painting because he can be outside. Do you think this choice affects how we see the work? Editor: Absolutely. It’s like he’s celebrating the materiality of paint itself. Instead of disappearing into the illusion of the scene, the texture becomes a central part of the viewing experience. I am looking closely at those brushstrokes to tell you if he applied them right to the canvas in order to capture light effect. What is this telling me regarding consumption habits and availability in art world during the 20th Century? Curator: Precisely. Mass production of paint meant artists could be bolder, less precious about their materials. He even challenged the norms, blurring that high/low divide. Does knowing that Hopper came to Monhegan Island to attend an artist colony with other artist working there together changes how you see the landscape genre painting, and the means of the paint consumption? Editor: Interesting. That throws a different light on it. Seeing it as him participating in new and innovative processes happening around him rather than it being entirely personal. Curator: The means of production inform the art itself, which then feeds back into consumption and the artist's place within society. Editor: I see your point, recognizing it as an engagement with material conditions rather than just aesthetic representation really shifts how you approach it. Thank you! Curator: Likewise. I've found the dialogue really enriching.