The artwork “Intermission” (also known as “Intermedio”), created in 1963 by artist Edward Hopper, is vested in the medium of oil on canvas and is an exemplar of the New Realism movement. Its dimensions stretch to 101.6 by 152.4 centimeters, categorizing it as a genre painting. Presently, the artwork is housed within the prestigious confines of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) located in San Francisco, California, United States.
“Intermission” portrays an introspective scene featuring a lone woman seated in a seemingly vacant theater. The woman is dressed in dark attire, accentuating her isolation amidst the expanses of vacant seats. Her posture suggests contemplation or perhaps a moment of rest, aligning with the artwork’s title, which hints at a pause in activity. The surroundings are characterized by the stark contrast between empty, dark-toned seats, and the bright, unyielding expanse of the stage wall. Hopper’s distinct use of light subtly draws attention to the interplay of shadow and form, evoking a palpable sense of solitude and the inner world of the subject. The artwork adeptly captures the silent narrative of a solitary figure amid the architectural forms and spaces of modern life, a theme recurrent in Hopper’s oeuvre.
