The artwork titled “New York, New Haven and Hartford” is an oil on canvas painting created by artist Edward Hopper in 1931. This piece is an example of the Social Realism movement, measuring 127 x 81 cm, and it occupies the landscape genre. Currently, this painting is located in a Private Collection.
The artwork portrays a serene landscape featuring architectural structures adjacent to a railroad. The foreground is dominated by the stark geometry of the tracks, leading the eye towards the middle distance where a simple, box-like building and a red-roofed house are situated. Between them, lush greenery and a few isolated trees rise against the backdrop of a clear sky. The trees are painted with considerable movement, potentially indicative of a gentle breeze in the scene. The use of light and shadow is evident, with the sides of the buildings illuminated, suggesting that the time is either early morning or late afternoon, when the sun casts elongated shadows. The composition is quiet and devoid of any visible human figures, which is typical of Hopper’s style, often evoking themes of solitude and the stillness of everyday moments. The viewer is invited to reflect on the passing of time and the presence of man-made elements within the natural landscape.
