The window in the works of the painter Edward Hopper

Edward Hopper is one of the most famous painters of the 20th century. This is a very special case of an artist whose work defined the iconography of an entire era.

Alumil Team

Updated 12/02/2024

5’ read

Edward Hopper is one of the most famous painters of the 20th century. This is a very special case of an artist whose work defined the iconography of an entire era. Hopper captured through his paintings the eerie side of the urban landscape, the loneliness of the big cities and - in his more contemporary works - the multiple facets of post-war America.

Western motel, 1957

"Western motel, 1957" (credit: "Edward Hopper - Western Motel" by mr.gian is licensed with CC BY 2.0)

One of the constant motifs that pervades Hopper's work is the Window. In many of his paintings, we find people standing in front of a window, looking out of it or simply in a space where the window takes up a large part of the painting.

Looking more closely at some of Hopper's works, one can see the artist's love of large window openings. Sometimes natural light passes freely through the space (e.g. in the work "Office in a small city") and sometimes the night lights pierce through the large windows of New York cafes or restaurants ("Automat", "Nighthawks"), illuminating moments among strangers, in the labyrinths of the big city.

Automat, 1927

"Automaton, 1927" credit: "Edward Hopper - Automat" by irinaraquel is marked under CC PDM 1.0

Looking at the large windows in Hopper's paintings, they seem to hold a leading role along with his heroes. It is like an informal conversation between the interior and the external environment, where the window becomes the bridge that connects the two worlds and maintains the balance.

Nighthawks, 1942

"Nighthawks, 1942" credit: "Nighthawks (1942) - Detail - Edward Hopper (1882 - 1967)" by UGArdener is licensed with CC BY-NC 2.0

One might think that this choice of Hopper's serves as a statement about the need for people to communicate. Large and open windows have always been a means of connecting the modern man with the environment around him, making him part of a collective experience.

Office in a small city, 1953

"Office in a small city, 1953" credit: "Edward Hopper - Office in a Small City [1953]" by Gandalf's Gallery is licensed with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Edward Hopper was recognized in his lifetime and won awards in the 1940s and 1950s, before the spotlight fell on the school of abstract expressionism in painting, which at the time was gaining ground versus realist painters like him.

However, his popularity has remained high. Almost six decades after his death, even in the Internet age we live in, his works are everywhere and seem more alive than ever. Besides, it is worth noting that he is a painter who poetically captured the alienation and distance between people, important social issues that are unresolved puzzles in our time.

Morning Sun, 1952

"Morning Sun, 1952" credit: "Morning Sun" by lluisribesmateu1969 is licensed with CC BY-NC 2.0

And if Hopper's heroes sometimes have a sweet melancholy, or are lost in the labyrinthine paths of their thoughts, the Window is always there to allow a breath and a way out of the difficulties of everyday life.