Nighthawks: Edward Hopper

Nighthawks,1942: Edward Hopper, currently exhibited at The Art Institute of Chicago

The Bar, 1954, John Bracks, privately owned, Australia. It last sold at auction for 3.2 million !

Nighthawks is one of the most iconic paintings of the modern era. It is based on a diner in Greenwich Village, where Edward Hopper lived at the time. Hopper was fascinated with urban scenes. The sharp lines and empty city streets, convey a sense of isolation that can sometimes be felt in big cities. There is also a sense of menace of danger lurking in the shadows. The other painting The Bar was painted in Melbourne by local artist; John Bracks twelve years after Nighthawks. The contrast, in detail, between the woman in the foreground and the faceless men in the background suggest that they are disconnected. The figures all have sharp angular features making them appear hard and calculating. Both artists depicted the turmoil which characterized society in the aftermath of The Second World War.