Comparison between Edgar Degas and Edward Hopper's approach to nudes

Résumé du document

American art of the 20th century is richer than one can think. The Ash can school, cubism, precisionism , biomorphism etc... One of the big movements was regionalism, of which Edward Hopper was a leader. But people often forget that Hopper not only painted landscapes, street scenes and light but also nudes. Naked women were not just objects on which light reflected itself; they were real entities that deserved to be studied. One can find in them Degas's inspiration; let's take a closer look. Born in France, Degas studied art at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. After that, he went to Italy where he stayed for five years studying and copying meticulously the old masters of the Renaissance. His decision to study the old masters was typical of his personality - that of a perfectionist. His favorite subjects were scenes from the world of entertainment and later from everyday life.

Extraits

[...] We can see, indeed, how Hopper used Degas's techniques. The head of the woman is hidden behind erotic hair, the colours are warm and above all the body is not static. However, it remains the personal touch of Hopper: the light, still coming from a window (one can guess its reflect on the floor). Let's now compare two pieces that have the same name: Reclining nude. They are the perfect example of how Hopper was inspired by Degas without simply copying him. [...]

[...] The Texture: Degas used mainly pastel for his nudes. It gave to these art-works a rough and aspect. That increases the perception of the movement. Especially regarding the hair: it is much more erotic (Woman drying her nape) and waving in his drawings than in Hopper's works (Morning in the city); the latest is more about the perfection of the line. Curves and lines: Degas is definitely about curves. For instance, Nude whipping her feet. The woman in this painting almost transformed herself into a spiral. [...]

[...] I will try to compare some of them in order to find similarities and contrasts in the nude work of the two artists. An influence hidden behind big differences 1. Big differences Different goals: Degas's goal by painting bodies is to represent the movement. He was fascinated about dancers and horses because they were all about movement. He made hundreds of drawings trying to understand dancers' legs. The Orsay Museum has an amazing collection of dancer's sculptures that Degas created to study their positions. [...]

[...] This was an exciting moment in the history of the Modern movement, but Hopper was to claim that its effect on him was minimal. He became a leader of regionalism. His subject matter was the physical face of America in city, town, and countryside, and his avowed aim was to render it with the most exact transcription possible of his impressions. Over and over again, we are struck by the sunlight reflected on the exteriors or interiors of buildings that attains an astonishing formal power through the wizardry of the artist's brush. [...]

[...] It seems like Hopper tried to paint perfect shaped legs. It's even shocking if one focuses on them: they're way too curved, masculine and muscled; their lower part is way too high. While he focused on making a realistic transcription of American society, he maybe forgot that the body is not mathematical. One needs to notice here that while Hopper was to express his opinion regarding American society in his work, Degas had no aim of this type. Moreover, the different interests are noticeable in the titles chose. [...]