Art Analysis: Nighthawks By Edward Hopper

Nighthawks by Edward Hopper is one of my all-time favorite paintings. This painting is so loved and famous, that even if you haven’t seen the original, you’ve likely seen it referenced in many different media. The world is filled of versions of this painting in Lego, featuring old movie stars, with supplementary quotes added for entertainment. All of these tributes are done because of the way this painting has resonated with the people who have seen it. The beautiful composition and the many well used elements in this painting have always intrigued and interested me. I think that Hopper created a piece that can truly resonate with so many different people.
Edward Hopper expressed his love for art early in his life and was determined to make

Majority of the lines are straight and the shapes rectangular, which is mostly because it is a city scene, and most structures are straight and rectangular. I do think this provides a bit of order and neatness though. There are a few curved lines, such as at the rounding of the restaurant that shows us the building is at a corner of a street. There is a lot of imaginary empty space in Nighthawks, especially outside the restaurant. The street is vacant, even though it appears to be in a city scene. This once again proposes that it is late at night and that most people are at home asleep. There is also a sense of equilibrium created in this painting using asymmetrical balance. The big bright interior balances with the smaller, dim store fronts. The focal point of this painting is the people sitting at the counter in the restaurant. There is a weight of importance placed on them because they are in the well-lit restaurant and behind them is the dusky street. Also, the red clothing of the woman stands out against both the very shady colors outside and the very bright off-white and buttery colors of the restaurant