Philadelphia Museum of Art Finally Gets a Hopper

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It’s hard to believe that the Philadelphia Museum of Art has never had a Hopper.

But every institution has its gaps, and now the Philadelphia Museum is filling in this particular one with “Road and Trees,” Edward Hopper’s 1962 depiction of a copse silhouetted against the sky. 

“When Hopper was painting, the museum wasn’t really focused on acquiring contemporary American art,” said Timothy Rub, the museum’s director. “Now, it’s almost too difficult for museums to acquire,” he added, given the high prices and scarcity of prime works.

In light of this, the museum is particularly grateful to be receiving the Hopper — along with 50 other significant pieces — from the collection of Daniel W. Dietrich II, a philanthropist who died in September.

Among the other artists represented in the gift are Cy Twombly, Philip Guston, Paul Thek, Eva Hesse and Albert Pinkham Ryder.

Mr. Dietrich was, in particular, a great fan of Thomas Eakins; thus his contribution features 12 works by that artist — 10 paintings and two drawings. Among them are oil sketches that relate closely to major works in the museum’s already significant Eakins collection.

The bequest includes archival Eakins material — photographs, pencil studies, his palette and brushes — and platinum print portraits of Walt Whitman that relate to an oil painting of that poet and the frontispiece of the complete edition of his “Leaves of Grass.”

In addition, Mr. Dietrich donated $10 million for an endowment to support the museum’s work in contemporary art.

“It’s a real game changer,” Mr. Rub said. “All sorts of new things become possible as a consequence of an endowment like this.”

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