Edward Hopper (1882-1967) was an American realist painter born in Nyack, New York. He studied commercial illustration and painting in New York. Hopper spent time studying in Paris but always returned to New York City, where he found inspiration in everyday urban and rural scenes. Hopper's paintings depicted solitary or anonymous figures in mundane settings, conveying a sense of alienation. He gained success in the 1920s and was able to devote himself fully to painting. Hopper is now regarded as an important American realist who captured the loneliness and boredom of modern life.