Edward Hopper (1882–1967) painted Rooms by the Sea in 1951 on Cape Cod, in the place he knew best: the studio in his house in the dunes. This agreeable-looking summer scene makes some viewers feel unsettled—a reaction that the artist intended. This lecture examines how Hopper composed the picture from his familiar surroundings and proposes some of the ideas that he may have meant to convey. Generously sponsored by the Martin A. Ryerson Lectureship Fund. Followed by a reception.



In each lecture in this series, John Walsh selects an American painting in the Gallery’s collection and examines the similarities and differences between depiction and reality, returning to the painter’s original vantage point in an attempt to work out just what happened when he returned to the studio.



Note: This lecture is the sixth and final in the series American Views, Viewpoints, and Manipulations. All lectures are held in the Robert L. McNeil, Jr., Lecture Hall. Seating is limited. Doors open one hour prior to each lecture. Free tickets to the lecture are handed out in the lobby beginning one hour prior; ticket holders are guaranteed a seat.