Subjects and themes Edward Hopper

girl @ sewing machine (1921)

hopper derived subject matter 2 primary sources: one, common features of american life (gas stations, motels, restaurants, theaters, railroads, , street scenes) , inhabitants; , two, seascapes , rural landscapes. regarding style, hopper defined himself amalgam of many races , not member of school, particularly ashcan school . once hopper achieved mature style, art remained consistent , self-contained, in spite of numerous art trends came , went during long career.

hopper s seascapes fall 3 main groups: pure landscapes of rocks, sea, , beach grass; lighthouses , farmhouses; , sailboats. combined these elements. of these paintings depict strong light , fair weather; showed little interest in snow or rain scenes, or in seasonal color changes. painted majority of pure seascapes in period between 1916 , 1919 on monhegan island. hopper s long leg (1935) all-blue sailing picture simplest of elements, while ground swell (1939) more complex , depicts group of youngsters out sail, theme reminiscent of winslow homer s iconic breezing (1876).

urban architecture , cityscapes major subjects hopper. fascinated american urban scene, our native architecture hideous beauty, fantastic roofs, pseudo-gothic, french mansard, colonial, mongrel or not, eye-searing color or delicate harmonies of faded paint, shouldering 1 along interminable streets taper off swamps or dump heaps.

in 1925, produced house railroad. classic work depicts isolated victorian wood mansion, partly obscured raised embankment of railroad. marked hopper s artistic maturity. lloyd goodrich praised work 1 of poignant , desolating pieces of realism. work first of series of stark rural , urban scenes uses sharp lines , large shapes, played upon unusual lighting capture lonely mood of subjects. although critics , viewers interpret meaning , mood in these cityscapes, hopper insisted more interested in sunlight on buildings , on figures symbolism. if prove point, late painting sun in empty room (1963) pure study of sunlight.

most of hopper s figure paintings focus on subtle interaction of human beings environment—carried out solo figures, couples, or groups. primary emotional themes solitude, loneliness, regret, boredom, , resignation. expresses emotions in various environments, including office, in public places, in apartments, on road, or on vacation. if creating stills movie or tableaux in play, hopper positioned characters if captured before or after climax of scene.

hopper s solitary figures women—dressed, semi-clad, , nude—often reading or looking out window, or in workplace. in 1920s, hopper painted first such images girl @ sewing machine (1921), new york interior (another woman sewing) (1921), , moonlight interior (a nude getting bed) (1923). automat (1927) , hotel room (1931), however, more representative of mature style, emphasizing solitude more overtly.

as hopper scholar, gail levin, wrote of hotel room:

the spare vertical , diagonal bands of color , sharp electric shadows create concise , intense drama in night...combining poignant subject matter such powerful formal arrangement, hopper s composition pure enough approach abstract sensibility, yet layered poetic meaning observer.

hopper s room in new york (1932) , cape cod evening (1939) prime examples of couple paintings. in first, young couple appear alienated , uncommunicative—he reading newspaper while idles piano. viewer takes on role of voyeur, if looking telescope through window of apartment spy on couple s lack of intimacy. in latter painting, older couple little each other, playing dog, own attention drawn away masters. hopper takes couple theme more ambitious level excursion philosophy (1959). middle-aged man sits dejectedly on edge of bed. beside him lies open book , partially clad woman. shaft of light illuminates floor in front of him. jo hopper noted in log book, [t]he open book plato, reread late .

levin interprets painting:

plato s philosopher, in search of real , true, must turn away transitory realm , contemplate eternal forms , ideas. pensive man in hopper s painting positioned between lure of earthly domain, figured woman, , call of higher spiritual domain, represented ethereal lightfall. pain of thinking choice , consequences, after reading plato night, evident. paralysed fervent inner labour of melancholic.

in office @ night (1940), couple painting, hopper creates psychological puzzle. painting shows man focusing on work papers, while nearby attractive female secretary pulls file. several studies painting show how hopper experimented positioning of 2 figures, perhaps heighten eroticism , tension. hopper presents viewer possibilities man either uninterested in woman s appeal or working hard ignore her. interesting aspect of painting how hopper employs 3 light sources, desk lamp, through window , indirect light above. hopper went on make several office pictures, none sensual undercurrent.

nighthawks (1942)

the best-known of hopper s paintings, nighthawks (1942), 1 of paintings of groups. shows customers sitting @ counter of all-night diner. shapes , diagonals constructed. viewpoint cinematic—from sidewalk, if viewer approaching restaurant. diner s harsh electric light sets apart dark night outside, enhancing mood , subtle emotion. in many hopper paintings, interaction minimal. restaurant depicted inspired 1 in greenwich village. both hopper , wife posed figures, , jo hopper gave painting title. inspiration picture may have come ernest hemingway s short story killers , hopper admired, or more philosophical clean, well-lighted place . in keeping title of painting, hopper later said, nighthawks has more possibility of predators in night loneliness.

his second recognizable painting after nighthawks urban painting, sunday morning (originally called seventh avenue shops), shows empty street scene in sharp side light, fire hydrant , barber pole stand-ins human figures. hopper intended put figures in upstairs windows left them empty heighten feeling of desolation.

hopper s rural new england scenes, such gas (1940), no less meaningful. gas represents different, equally clean, well-lighted refuge ... ke[pt] open in need navigate night, traveling own miles go before sleep. work presents fusion of several hopper themes: solitary figure, melancholy of dusk, , lonely road.

hopper approaches surrealism rooms sea (1951), open door gives view of ocean, without apparent ladder or steps , no indication of beach.

after student years, hopper s nudes women. unlike past artists painted female nude glorify female form , highlight female eroticism, hopper s nudes solitary women psychologically exposed. 1 audacious exception girlie show (1941), red-headed strip-tease queen strides confidently across stage accompaniment of musicians in pit. girlie show inspired hopper s visit burlesque show few days earlier. hopper s wife, usual, posed him painting, , noted in diary, ed beginning new canvas—a burlesque queen doing strip tease—and posing without stitch on in front of stove—nothing high heels in lottery dance pose.

hopper s portraits , self-portraits relatively few after student years. hopper did produce commissioned portrait of house, macarthurs home (1939), faithfully details victorian architecture of home of actress helen hayes. reported later, guess never met more misanthropic, grumpy individual in life. hopper grumbled throughout project , never again accepted commission. hopper painted portrait of orleans (1950), portrait of cape cod town main street.

though interested in american civil war , mathew brady s battlefield photographs, hopper made 2 historical paintings. both depicted soldiers on way gettysburg. rare among themes paintings showing action. best example of action painting bridle path (1939), hopper s struggle proper anatomy of horses may have discouraged him similar attempts.

hopper s final oil painting, 2 comedians (1966), painted 1 year before death, focuses on love of theater. 2 french pantomime actors, 1 male , 1 female, both dressed in bright white costumes, take bow in front of darkened stage. jo hopper confirmed husband intended figures suggest taking life s last bows husband , wife.

hopper s paintings have been seen others having narrative or thematic content artist may not have intended. meaning can added painting title, titles of hopper s paintings chosen others, or selected hopper , wife in way makes unclear whether have real connection artist s meaning. example, hopper once told interviewer fond of sunday morning... wasn t sunday. word tacked on later else.

the tendency read thematic or narrative content hopper s paintings, hopper had not intended, extended wife. when jo hopper commented on figure in cape cod morning s woman looking out see if weather s enough hang out wash, hopper retorted, did that? re making norman rockwell. point of view s looking out window. example of same phenomenon recorded in 1948 article in time:

hopper s summer evening, young couple talking in harsh light of cottage porch, inescapably romantic, hopper hurt 1 critic s suggestion illustration in woman s magazine. hopper had painting in of head 20 years , never thought of putting figures in until started last summer. why art director tear picture apart. figures not interested me; light streaming down, , night around.