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The Whole Damn Hopper Thing, Abridged

July 24, 2008

Hopper's South Truro Hills

I have until now shown remarkable restraint in not unloading on this subject, but no more. Cometh the screed here. For the last 30 years or so of his life, Edward Hopper lived and painted every summer in a small (by today's steroidal standards) cottage on top of the dunes behind the ocean in Truro. His famous painting, "South Truro Hills" is the view from his studio. When Hopper's wife, Jo, died, she left the house to her caretaker, in whose family it still remains. Amazingly, the house has been virtually untouched by time; while they have not opened it to the public, the family has preserved the house and its furnishings in very nearly the exact condition it was when Hopper lived there. Perhaps even more amazingly, the view from the studio, known as the Hopper landscape, has been very little altered. A number of Truro residents, supported by lovers of Hopper's art, have over the years been able to slowly purchase and protect much of the land against development by placing it in a conservation trust. Until last summer, when a parcel directly between the house and the ocean, including much of the landscape represented in the painting, were sold for $7 million to a couple proposing to build the ultimate trophy house of 7,000 square feet with a 6-car garage, reflecting pools, etc.etc. right in the middle of the landscape.

A legal battle ensued, which I will not detail and which is not yet completed, but construction has started on the house while the appeal is being heard and that gives me a very bad feeling. If all proceeds as these things usually do in this country, money will trump all other considerations - they have it and we don't. Even if the town were to reverse the decision allowing construction, which they should and may, they will be sued by the property owners until the last dog dies and this little town of 1500 flat lacks the resources to mount legal battles against pockets this deep. And that's what it so often comes down to; people with deep pockets twist the zoning and building codes sound in the knowledge that they can last the town out.

That's all for now.

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