The “film noir” look, which would’ve been contemporary at the time this was painted also captures that time period’s sense of style (formal) which was an extension of people’s general approach to life (structured). It’s interesting to note that Hopper completed this painting in 1942, before the United States was actively engaged en masse in World War II.
In this dark and lonely painting, where the people presented are literally isolated in “a glass house” — do we catch a glimpse of America’s isolationist attitude at that time?
Aside from the possibility of political themes — the thing that I enjoy most about this painting (aside from its meditative quality) is Hopper’s use of color and contrast.
|| EDWARD HOPPER’S “NIGHTHAWKS”
