Nighthawks (1942) by Edward Hopper

Nighthawks - Edward Hopper - 1942

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Artwork Information

TitleNighthawks
ArtistEdward Hopper
Date1942
MediumOil on Canvas
Dimensions84.1 x 152.4 cm
Art MovementSocial Realism
Current LocationArt Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, US
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About Nighthawks

Nighthawks is a celebrated painting by Edward Hopper, created in 1942. The artwork captures four individuals sitting in a late-night diner viewed through the eatery’s large glass pane. This oil on canvas painting has become Hopper’s most famous work and one of the most recognizable paintings in American art history.

Through Nighthawks, Hopper aimed to express the paradox of loneliness that comes with urban living. Although it wasn’t his intention to infuse the painting with urban ennui, it is impossible to look at Nighthawks without sensing an underlying sense of depression and isolation.

Hopper was known as one of the best painters of modern American life, characterizing everyday life scenes with sharp details that allow viewers to truly immerse themselves in each piece’s atmosphere. Nighthawks conveys a poignant mood swing; its brilliant portrayal of solitude and unhappiness making it eternally thought-provoking.

The painting expresses an undeniable sense of melancholy and despair that most Americans could relate to during World War II when Nighthawk was painted. The diner represents a symbol for all-encompassing human connection while highlighting just how out-of-reach this connection can be for people living in modern cities, leaving them feeling isolated beneath bright neon lights.

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