Edward Hopper (1882-1967), one of the most important American painters of the twentieth century, spent nearly every summer of his long artistic career in New England. This book presents many of Hopper's finest paintings of the region and examines the crucial role New England played in Hopper's development as an artist. Carl Little is author of Paintings of Maine and is a regular contributor to Art New England and Art in America.

An insightful and beautiful look at how New England's summers have inspired American artists for decades With its stunning coastlines, mountains, lakes, forests, and scenic villages, New England has been an inspiration for American artists since the 19th century. This lively book considers the ways in which painters have responded to the region's summer beauty as well as to its social and cultural preoccupations and characteristics. Works by such artists as Fitz Henry Lane, John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Maurice Prendergast, Marsden Hartley, Edward Hopper, Hans Hofmann, Andrew Wyeth, Alex Katz, and Yvonne Jacquette depict subjects as wide ranging as the bucolic delights of farms and fields to the atmospheric light of New England's rugged coasts to the ethnic and social diversity of urban street life. Painting Summer in New England highlights the various styles and influences revealed in these works, including photographic realism, Impressionism, Expressionism, and abstraction. In addition, Trevor Fairbrother discusses the tremendous array of works covered by the concept of "painting" and the remarkable richness of thematic imagery that can be seen and understood as "New England." This engaging book is a delightful and invaluable resource for those who live in or are admirers of New England and American art.

Simon Parkes paints summer in the Northeast: the sandy beaches, old frame houses, drifting boats, and rocky shores that represent the joys of summertime from Eastern Long Island up along the coast to New England. His paintings are sentimental and nostalgic-- he records houses and landscapes that might have been painted in the 19th century, or even earlier. In the pages of this evocative volume, the hot, dusty, gorgeous days of summer come alive. Memorial Day marks the first day of summer, the time to reopen shuttered houses and sweep last year's sand from the porch. In the thirteen weeks before Labor Day, it's time to visit breezy shores and mountain lakes and enjoy a classic American summer in the countryside. Extended relations convene, families balloon under the shingled roof, seaside cottage, or the cozy intimacy of an Adirondack lodge. These places have a comforting sameness to them; they change little from year to year. Summer is also the time when Simon Parkes shoulders a traveling box of oil paints and a handful of brushes and heads out on bicycle or foot to capture the evanescent summer landscapes of Eastern Long Island and New England. In just a few hours, for Parkes works quickly to take advantage of the light, he creates a a view of cliffs bordering Gardiner's Bay or of the small boats skimming the coast of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. Parkes's summer places are sentimental and nostalgic; he records houses and landscapes that might have been painted in the 19th century, or even earlier. Summer Places is a keepsake for the millions of locals and visitors who love the special vitality of traditional New England and Eastern Long Island. Thisquiet world, the unchanging world of summer, lies at the heart of this entrancing book.

A delightful account of Edward Hopper's sojourns in Vermont with his wife, Jo, illustrated by the watercolors and drawings that he made there

The riveting story of a museum director caught in a web of local and international intrigue while secretly pursuing a forgotten Renaissance painting-the Boston Raphael. On the eve of its centennial celebrations in 1969, the Boston MFA announced the acquisition of an unknown and uncatalogued painting attributed to Raphael. Boston's coup made headlines around the world. Soon, an Italian art sleuth began investigating the painting's export from Italy, challenging the museum's ownership. Simultaneously, experts on both sides of the Atlantic lined up to debate its very authenticity. The museums charismatic director, Perry T. Rathbone, faced the most challenging crossroads of his career. The Boston Raphael was a media sensation in its time, but the full story of the forces that converged on the museum and how they intersected with the challenges of the Sixties is now revealed in full detail by the director's daughter.

Celebrating the charming and radiant works of Thomas Kinkade, a foremost contemporary painter of light, this delightful volume recounts the uplifting story of the artist's life and adventures, recalls the inspiration behind his work, and describes the fascinating personal references--to loved ones and to his faith--found in his paintings. Over 75 color illustrations. 3 gatefolds.

Published on the occasion of an exhibition on view at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick, Maine, July 15-Oct. 16, 2011.