Art Analysis: Jane Freilicher's "View Over Mecox" and Edward Hopper's "Rooms by the Sea"

I will be comparing and contrasting Jane Freilicher's "View over the Mecox" and Edward Hopper's "Rooms by the Sea" because of their similar artistic style and subject matter. As complimentary pieces, they work well together, and also show some unique differences between each artist's perception and style.

Both painters are of American heritage, and as such have aided in expanding the vast variety of quality American artwork within the last century. Traditional paintings such as these are rare in a modern society such as this, and both truly represent a piece of artistic history, brought to a new age in America. The soft lines and realistic portrayal of the scenes is reminiscent of the realist style used by other famous painters throughout Europe, such as Michelangelo, and DaVinci. Certainly these paintings encompass both art history and modern art, in one.

Edward Hopper was a student at the New York School of Art, in 1901, where he began a stimulating journey through fine art. He enjoyed traveling and studying art in Europe, though eventually in 1910 settled down in New York State. He lived in his home near Cape Cod, with his wife, Josephine (Jo) Verstille Nivison, who he was betrothed to in 1924. Along with his new marriage was a new perception on art. Rather than painting commercially, he began to do so for his own persuasions, and created such popular pieces as "Gas" (1940) and "Nighthawks" (1942). Through his work he developed an ability to truly capture the stress between civilized man and nature. When asked his purpose for contrasting these two parodies, he quoted that his ultimate goal in painting was "to achieve the best possible realization of my most intimate impressions of my surroundings" (Gordon, 2002).