American realist artist Edward Hopper (1882–1967) is best known for his frank oil paintings of American city life. He was born and reared in New York, where he showed talent in the arts at a young age. For more than 20 years, he supported himself by working as a commercial illustrator while honing his painting skills. His etchings from the 1920s - all of which reflect his interest in solitude and urban life are what first brought him fame. In his 40s, Hopper unhurriedly achieved financial security, enabling him to focus solely on painting. His later career produced some of his most well-known pieces, including Nighthawks.
Nighthawks - similar to the majority of Hopper's oil paintings, provides a window into the artist's interpretations of contemporary American society, notably in New York City. Hopper, on the other hand, chose to concentrate on the urban inhabitants' pervasive yet underestimated loneliness, in contrast to his contemporaries who chose to depict the city with dazzling lights, buzzing environments, and booming business.
In contrast to many of his earlier portrayals of loneliness, Nighthawks features a group of subjects. Despite the painting's subject not being a lone figure, it nonetheless has a sense of isolation. The composition, which is set late at night, subtly shows a view of a modest local diner. The viewer may easily imagine themselves in the setting thanks to the painting's usual calm; one can practically hear the hum of the harsh fluorescent lights and the clink of the customers' coffee mugs.
Even though Nighthawks' message is laced with emotion, its iconography is uncomplicated at first glance. Three patrons, two men and one woman, are seated at the counter as seen from outside the casual restaurant's huge, wraparound window. A single waitress working behind the bar converses with two of the figures. The scenario appears to be staged late into the night because the streets outside seem deserted.
Nighthawks is one of the most recognizable pieces of American art today. Despite the fact that it is unclear if it is based on a real place (Hopper only stated that it was "suggested by a restaurant on Greenwich Avenue where two streets meet"), many people believe it to be a fitting representation of the commonplace and frequently disregarded locations that make up a modern city.
Additionally, quite number of artists continue to utilize Nighthawks as inspiration for their own work, whether they're reinterpreting it in unique ways or rethinking it through modern eyes.
Gisela Perez | 10:14 AM Thursday, 8 September 2022 (GMT+2)
Berlin, Germany Artpendix Press
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