Introduction
The famous work of art selected for this project is Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks,” which is an oil on canvas painting created by the artist in 1942. The image of the painting is demonstrated in Figure 1, which shows the figures of three visitors and a bartender at a cafe at night time (Hopper, 1942). The painting is a vivid example of imaginative imagery that conveys loneliness and isolation.
Research on the Painting
Edward Hopper is a famous American artist who created his artworks in a realistic style. He worked during the historical periods surrounding world wars, which significantly shaped the narratives, stylistics, and imagery of his paintings (Levin, 2021). He predominantly paid attention to the realistic portrayal of lonely human figures in different environments conveying the idea of isolation in a crowd (Levin, 2021). His painting “Nighthawks” is one of the most popular works that remains an important element in the history of American Art.
To understand the meaning of an art piece, it is relevant to consider the history of its creation. When planning the painting, Hopper imagined how a well-lit diner would look in an empty street of a large city at night (Hopper, 1942). The artist claimed that since the time when the painting was being made was characterized by military unrest, the issue of loneliness and the emptiness of a large city was particularly relevant due to the soldiers being at the front and the fear of death dominating the citizens (Levin, 2021). A sense of loneliness in such historical circumstances was accompanied by the artist’s contemplation on existential ideas and the overall feeling of being lost and isolated as an individual despite being in the presence of strangers.
The painting portrays three lonely figures of the visitors of a bar and a figure of a bartender who is inside a well-lit room of the facility. The room with people inside it does not have an entrance, with the only door seemingly leading to a staff room. It instills the feeling of isolation and the lack of a way out (Levin, 2021). There is a large space of the bar portrayed in the painting, which emphasizes the emptiness since the people inside the room seem unable to fill it. In such a manner, the artist intended to demonstrate the scope of loneliness and emptiness that surround the people. As stated by Levin (2021), the artist made the space of the room intentionally bigger than it would normally be portrayed to exacerbate the level of emptiness perceived by the viewers.
Indeed, the figures are placed in a way that shows their disengagement from one another. The visitor sitting with his back to the viewer is distanced from the rest, he is looking away, absorbed in his thoughts. As for the figures of a woman and a man sitting near her, they are portrayed as very close to each other. It even seems that their hands are touching, which makes the viewer think that they might be visiting the place together. However, the looks on their faces and the direction of their eyes indicate that each of them is focused on their own concerns without regard for the presence of the other. Similarly, the bartender seems to be conversing with the visitors or serving them, which is demonstrated by his posture. However, his eyes are directed past the man into the darkness and emptiness of the street. As indicated by Levin (2021), Hopper intended to demonstrate the distance between people mentally despite their physical closeness.
Conclusion
Similar to the interior, the exterior in the painting is designed for the purpose of enhancing the sense of loneliness in a large city. Indeed, the darkness of the streets contrasts with the lightness of the room (Hopper, 1942). Furthermore, the rest of the windows viewers might see in the nearby buildings show the inside of the rooms where no one seems to live. There is darkness and an absence of people or objects in those rooms and buildings. The same might be said about the streets, where there is no litter and no signs of human presence, which so strongly contrasts with the presence of the visitors inside the bar (Levin, 2021). Nonetheless, this contrast serves only to reinforce the idea that human presence does not eliminate the feeling of loneliness. Thus, the painting’s imagery creates a strong feeling of being lonely and isolated.
Poem
An empty street, an empty window.
The bar is open yet again.
The one who comes to sit in here
Will never find a company.
The light illuminates the table,
A lonely salt and pepper shaker
Remains unnoticed by the eyes
That focus on the inner nature.
There is no door, the window’s closed,
They’re trapped inside themselves.
The emptiness of space just froze,
No visitors in the hotels.
Despite the light inside the room
Or seeming touch of hands,
The lady does not see the groom,
And he ignores her stance.
References
Hopper E. (1942). Nighthawks[painting]. Art Institute Chicago. Web.
Levin, G. (2021). Edward Hopper’s Loneliness. Social Research: An International Quarterly, 88(3), 747-770. Web.
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