Documentary Reveals Jo Hopper's Crucial Role in Edward Hopper's Career

A new documentary, "Hopper. An American Love Story," directed by Phil Grabsky, examines the life of Edward Hopper (1882–1967) with a focus on his wife, Josephine Verstille Nivison (1883–1968), known as Jo Hopper. The film argues that Jo's connections in New York art circles were instrumental in launching Hopper's career. Both studied under Robert Henri at the New York School of Art. Jo was an active artist, exhibiting alongside Georgia O'Keeffe and John Singer Sargent, and used her influence to get Hopper's work into a 1923 group show at the Brooklyn Museum, leading to his first major success after selling "Sailing" for $250 over a decade earlier. They married on July 9, 1924. Jo's diaries, spanning over sixty volumes, reveal a troubled marriage where Edward belittled her art—once telling her "It sucks" when she asked if it was nice to have a painting wife—while she posed for his female figures, suggested titles, and organized meetings with collectors. The documentary uses rare TV interviews with Edward and Jo's writings to portray him as a reclusive figure, while scholars note his work documented contemporary American society. The film follows a revisionist trend, highlighting Hopper's resistance to social changes in New York. It will be released in Italian cinemas by Nexo Digital on April 9 and 10, 2024.