05/30/2026
𝗔 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗿𝘁...(and a story that probably belongs on Antiques Roadshow).
You might remember that last year Hope Within Community Health, Counseling & Dental Center was gifted many unique things including art through the generosity of an artist's estate in Bucks County. It had a local connection--local resident Grace W., who was the executor of the estate and worked with her cousin (the surviving relative who has since passed) C C Hopf (wife to Christopher and daughter-in-law to Ernest Hopf). Christopher Hopf, a regionally renowned artist of modern art. His uncle, Ernest Hopf, had also lived with them, and was a nationally-renowned artist whose works are in the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, DC.
He was best known for his WWII and post-WWII art. We had been gifted a few of his pieces, but mainly lesser known mid-century modern art, which we quickly sold to the benefit of our free clinic.
Among the items donated was a VERY modern (and dare we say wild and crazy) pastel piece by Christopher Hopf in a very dilapidated frame. It has lingered, waiting for the right buyer. When Audrie was moving it a few weeks ago during a Trove "refresh" the frame finally started to come apart. Audrie noticed the pastel slipping and something peeking out. Looking closely, there was art in the colors that Ernest Hopf did, post WWII style.
Audrie carefully deconstructed the frame and found a signed serigraph from Ernest Hopf, "Normandy Fire." It's another copy of the one the National Gallery of Art has. Maybe it's an artist's proof (but not marked as such), but is signed though differently than the one in DC. Very fragile and has holes in it, but we love it!
You can look up the history of the S.S. Normandie and the fire here https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/february-9/the-normandie-catches-fire.
Long story short--It was a French luxury passenger ship that happened to be docked in New York City in June 1940 when France surrendered to Germany and the Vichy government was installed there. By maritime law, the U.S. had a right to cease the ship and did so in order to prevent it from falling in the hands of the N***s if it was returned to France.
After the Pearl Harbor bombing, the U.S. Navy began to convert the ship to an Allied troop carrier, renamed the USS LaFayette. Unfortunately, they believe a welder working on the conversion in the Grand Salon accidently started a fire by sending sparks into a pile of burlap-covered life jackets. The fire eventually capsized and sank the ship at Pier 88 in NYC.
This serigraph was signed by Ernest Hopf in 1942. Although it is done off the same silk screen as the one in the National Gallery of Art's collection, it too is considered an original. It's in delicate shape, and has a signature line and shading that is slightly different from the one in D.C. As far as we know, these are the only two pieces made from that screen, but we aren't art experts.
You can see the one from the here: https://www.nga.gov/artworks/148956-normandy-fire
Our serigraph will be on display (and for sale but you are welcome to come just look and admire) when we are next open, Friday, June 5 (2 PM to 6 PM) and Saturday, June 6 (9 AM to 1 PM)>
