“Second Story Sunlight” is a captivating oil on canvas artwork by the eminent artist Edward Hopper, created in 1960. This piece, measuring 127 by 101.6 centimeters, is characteristic of the New Realism art movement and is categorized as a genre painting. The artwork is part of the collection at the Whitney Museum of American Art located in New York City.
The artwork captures a moment frozen in time, depicting two women on the sunlit upper deck of a traditional American house. The house, painted in shades of blue, stands in stark contrast against the vibrant blue sky above and the dark, tree-covered hillside behind. The woman on the right side is seated and seemingly absorbed in her reading, oblivious to her surroundings. Adjacent to her, another woman leans against the railing, her gaze perhaps lost in thought or directed towards something unseen outside the frame.
The architectural elements are portrayed with Hopper’s signature attention to geometric forms and perspective. The clean lines and angles of the house offer a sense of order and stability. Attention is drawn to the interplay of sunlight and shadow, which animates the scene, creating a dynamic yet tranquil atmosphere. The strategic placement of the two figures, along with Hopper’s restrained use of color and light, underscores the themes of solitude and introspection that are often present in his works.
