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 r...