Art Analysis "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper

(Hopper, Edward. "Nighthawks." 1942)

Background:

    During the height of World War II, artist Edward Hopper painted Nighthawks to reflect on wartime anxiety, alienation, and fear (Zapella). The painting also emits a great sense of separation to the viewers. When asked about this piece, Hopper stated, "Unconsciously, probably, I was painting the loneliness of a large city" (The Art Institute of Chicago). The neutral setting, with the modern fluorescent lights, makes the sense of separation feel timeless like one could walk into a similar scene anywhere. The timeless separation Nighthawks evokes has made it become a quintessential piece of American painting. In turn, it has been parodied and referenced throughout the decades since its publication. 

Personal Relation:

    I can relate to Nighthawks and the loneliness it expresses as a young man who spends most of his day online. Despite being born in the internet era, where one can reach anybody anywhere at any time, I can still feel disconnected from others at times. The timelessness of the piece comforts me by showing that my loneliness isn't uncommon and that people can be lonely together. This was especially prominent during COVID-19 for a majority of people.

Art Elements:

Line: 

    The fine black lines form distinct geometric structures that subtly separate everything within the painting. For example, the countertop boxes the waiter from the customers. Or the lines of the diner enclose the figures from the outside street. The central window pane has lines that frame the figures within the diner. There are street lines that separate the diner from the background buildings. In one of those buildings, another window separates a cash register, the only other representation of day life, from the street and diner (Harris and Zucker). In general, the lines keep objects in their place and separate.

Color:

    The precise color palette brings a sense of coolness to the painting. The bright yellows bring warmth to the diner. The colorful clothes of the figures bring a little bit of life to them. The red dress and white waiter uniform make them pop in the light. The vibrancy even makes the cool dark blue-suited men pop as well. In contrast, the outside street is full of dull blues, greens, and oranges. This makes the outside lifeless and empty. The diner lights up the street but the shaded greens draw it back to the dark night and a sense of emptiness. Additionally, the orange of the background apartments makes them warm and inviting, as an apartment should be, but they pale in comparison to the bright interior of the diner, and make them seem desolate. 

Space: 

    The spacing of the piece is very wide and deliberate. The figures are at a conversational distance but it doesn't seem like they are having one. The street is vacant and free of litter as if to invite the void of loneliness to fill it. The spacing between the diner and the point of view of the painting makes the viewer feel like they are watching the diner but can't quite step onto the street. The walls are bare and the countertop is clean, the environment is orderly which distances it from the organic life of a community.

Works Cited:

    Hopper, Edward. “Nighthawks.” The Art Institute of Chicago, www.artic.edu/artworks/111628/nighthawks. Accessed 14 Sept. 2024.

    Zappella, Christine. “Wartime Alienation, Hopper’s Nighthawks.” Smarthistory, 24 Sept. 2018, smarthistory.org/seeing-america-2/nighthawks-sa/. Accessed 14 Sept. 2024.

    Harris, Beth, and Steven Zucker. “Hopper, Nighthawks.” YouTube, 2 Apr. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=j24uh8cZ3wA. Accessed 14 Sept. 2024.