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Edward L. Loper Sr Art

American, 1916-2011

A master of light and color, Edward L. Loper Sr. was an African-American artist from Wilmington, Delaware, who went on to become one of the most celebrated cultural figures in his home state.

Loper was not just a painter; he was also a dedicated teacher who worked hard to help his students see the world around them with fresh eyes. When he passed away in 2011, Delaware Today wrote: “Few local painters have achieved his level of recognition and influence, here and beyond, or have been as beloved by so many students.”

Loper did not have a formal art education. He had an insatiable appetite for learning about art, and his richly hued, expressive paintings, which include modernist depictions of landscapes, Cubist cityscapes and human figures, reveal his deep understanding of works by masters like Picasso, Cézanne and El Greco. Loper took frequent train rides to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, studied the work of painters Andrew Wyeth and Howard Pyle at the Wilmington Public Library and took courses under author and educator Violette de Mazia at the Barnes Foundation.

His first job as an artist was at the Works Progress Administration Art Project, a New Deal program that saw Loper painting depictions of furniture and toys for a large archive of folk art. In 1937, the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts (now the Delaware Art Museum) accepted one of Loper’s paintings, making him the first African-American artist in its collection.

“Once you learn to see as an artist, the world will never look the same again,” he said in Edward Loper: Prophet of Color, a 1999 award-winning documentary about his life. Despite his humble beginnings, Loper’s work is now in the permanent collections of eminent institutions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Howard University Gallery of Art. He also taught at the Allied Kid Company, Delaware Art Museum, Lincoln University and the Jewish Community Center in Delaware.

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Artist: Edward L. Loper Sr
Yellow House #18
By Edward L. Loper Sr
Located in Greenville, DE
Cityscape, typical of Loper's early work
Category

1950s Impressionist Edward L. Loper Sr Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Market Street
By Edward L. Loper Sr
Located in Greenville, DE
A perfect example of Loper's later work. Very Cezanne-like, except for Loper's fracturing of spaces. Loper studied at the Barnes Foundation starting in 1963. Works from this period, ...
Category

1990s Abstract Impressionist Edward L. Loper Sr Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pool Table
By Edward L. Loper Sr
Located in Greenville, DE
Excellent example of Loper Sr.'s work from this period. Exhibited at the Delaware art Museum show titled "Edward L. Loper from the Prism's Edge". Signed lower right. 43.75" x 30.75" ...
Category

1960s Abstract Impressionist Edward L. Loper Sr Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

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Edward L. Loper Sr. "Old Farm, 1954" oil on canvas Signed and dated lower right 18" x 22" 25" x 30" in custom frame
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Edward L. Loper Sr art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Edward L. Loper Sr art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Edward L. Loper Sr in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Impressionist style. Not every interior allows for large Edward L. Loper Sr art, so small editions measuring 24 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Wilson Henry Irvine, Stanley Sobossek, and Steven Guy Bilodeau. Edward L. Loper Sr art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $8,500 and tops out at $17,500, while the average work can sell for $15,500.

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