Hopper’s early oils revealed as copies

Louis Shadwick’s research determined that all six of Edward Hopper’s early oil paintings, previously believed to be original works, are actually copies of paintings by other artists.

Around 1895, the young Hopper, living in Nyack, New York, began practicing oil painting and created several works that were later discovered in his family’s attic.

These paintings were initially thought to be his first original compositions but were later found to be reproductions of images from the Art Interchange periodical and other sources. Reverend Arthayer R. Sanborn discovered the paintings and gave them titles referencing Nyack, leading scholars to believe Hopper depicted local scenes. However, Old Ice Pond at Nyack is a copy of Bruce Crane’s A Winter Sunset, and Rowboat in Rocky Cove reproduces a watercolour by an unknown artist.

Hopper also copied works by John Francis Murphy, Edward Moran, and Edgar Barnes Gilson, demonstrating his engagement with American tonalism, a popular style at the time. The discovery challenges the long-held notion that Hopper was a self-taught prodigy and suggests his artistic development was influenced by widely available instructional materials and contemporary art trends.

Hopper signed the copies with his initials, likely taking pride in his early efforts, and it appears he did not create an original oil painting until he began formal art school in 1900.