Josephine Nivison artist [wife of Edward Hopper]

Josephine Nivison was a successful artist at the time of her relationship with Edward Hopper in 1923. Her works hung in exhibitions next to paintings by Picasso, Modigliani and Man Ray in prestigious New York galleries. Shortly before their fateful encounter, the Brooklyn Museum invited Jo to participate in another exhibition with her watercolors — along with works by Georgia O'Keefe and John Singer Sargent. Hopper, meanwhile, worked in advertising magazines for a living and slowly sank into depression due to lack of recognition and inability to sell a single painting in a decade. 

Josephine was the first to see Edward the future genius of American painting. Wanting to help him, Nivison persuaded the curators of the Brooklyn Museum exhibition to include Hopper's work in the exhibition.

This exhibition, you can say, changed the course of history. It was from this moment that the growth of Edward Hopper's career began. 

Unfortunately, this very moment was the beginning of the end of Josephine Nivison's career.

Edward and Jo at the beginning of their life together: 

self portrait