Curt Hoppe, Sag Harbor Cinema, C-Print with Small Strokes of Oil Paint on the Top and Bottom Edges, SIGNED on back, 1997 – 2002. Print Size: 20 x 16 inches — Available. After a fire destroyed much of the Sag Harbor cinema, Hoppe’s painting was used on the cover of Dan’s Papers in January 2017.
For an accomplished photorealist painter like Curt Hoppe, the primary challenge is finding interesting subject matter that also appeals to collectors. From 1997 – 2002, Hoppe enjoyed an ideal situation painting views of the Hamptons, one of New York’s most scenic and affluent summer retreats. Not only could Hoppe partake in the area’s pleasures, he also found a ready market for his paintings in the East End’s upscale mansions. This was a productive period for Hoppe, who over five-years produced close to 100 paintings, all of which sold for substantial prices.
While the paintings have remained ensconced in private collections, earlier this year Gallery 98 discovered an extraordinary collection of the original “working” photographs that Hoppe used to create his Hamptons paintings. After first identifying his subject, Hoppe used a 35mm Nikon camera to take color slides that he then projected onto a canvas to pencil in the outlines. It was at this point that he created the C-Prints that we discovered, where small strokes of paint along the edges were used as color reference to confirm the accuracy of his color choices.
These one-of-a-kind photographs not only capture the quaint beauty of the Hamptons 25-years ago, they also reveal the artist’s fascinating working process. The contrast between the printed photograph and the irregular color dabs of paint encourages the viewer to look more closely at all of the image’s details. Finally, there is an additional bonus. Each of these photographs is connected to a skillfully executed, large photorealist painting that while out-of-sight now will likely re-emerge at some point in either a museum or high-profile auction.
Visit Gallery 98’s Special Curt Hoppe page.
Curt Hoppe, Dreesen’s Market (East Hampton), C-Print with Small Strokes of Oil Paint and Masking Tape on Cardboard, SIGNED on back, 1997 – 2002. Print Size: 15 x 13 inches — Available for Purchase. While the majority of Hoppe’s paintings featured views of the Hamptons, he also created related still-lifes. This image showing Dreesen’s donuts was especially popular and was later sold as a poster.
Curt Hoppe, Barefoot Contessa, C-Print with Small Strokes of Oil Paint and Masking Tape on Board, SIGNED on front and back, 1997 – 2002. Print Size: 20 x 16 inches — Available for Purchase. Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa” was a popular television cooking show on the Food Network as well as a store in East Hampton.
Curt Hoppe, Eye Candy, C-Print with Small Strokes of Oil Paint and Masking Tape on Cardboard, SIGNED on back, 1997 – 2002. Print Size: 16 x 11 inches — Available for Purchase. The Candy Kitchen is still active in Bridgehampton.
Curt Hoppe, Old Hook Mill, C-Print with Small Strokes of Oil Paint and Masking Tape on Board, SIGNED on back, 1997 – 2002. Print Size: 15 x 10.5 inches — Available for Purchase
Curt Hoppe, Hook Pond, C-Print with Small Strokes of Oil Paint and Masking Tape, SIGNED on back, 1997 – 2002. Print Size: 15 x 10.5 inches — Available for Purchase
Curt Hoppe, Conversation at Sammy’s Beach, C-Print with Small Strokes of Oil Paint, SIGNED on back, 1997 – 2002. Print Size: 20 x 16 inches — Available for Purchase
Curt Hoppe catalogues from the Wallace Gallery, East Hampton
Top: Curt Hoppe, East End Paintings, Text by John Esten, Wallace Gallery, 24-Page Catalogue, 2000. Size: 8 x 9.5 inches
Bottom: Curt Hoppe, Hampton’s This Hampton’s That, Wallace Gallery, 12 Page Exhibition Catalogue, 2002. Size: 8 x 9.5 inches
Also check out the catalogue for Hoppe’s recent work:
Downtown Portraits by Curt Hoppe, 2010 – 2019
