American space, American place: Edward Hopper, painting and his personal vision of modern America

Edward Hopper is generally acknowledged as an exemplary ‘American Scene’ painter and his work is understood to be a reflection of the loneliness of the modern city. This thesis confirms the emphasis of the American subject matter in Hopper’s work and considers it with particular reference to the American city, focussing on the depiction of the human figure, especially the female figure. This is central to Hopper’s work even when its presence is only implied. This study concentrates on works from Hopper’s ‘mature’ period, which I see as beginning around 1924. The first section is a detailed examination of the human figure in relation to three specific areas: the female nude, the solitary figure, and Hopper’s couples and groups, with the emphasis on their American context. The second section of the thesis focuses on the depiction of the human figure in relation to the American city, predominantly the Greenwich Village area of New York City, through the detailed study of specific environments: the office, the automat and the diner, the theater/movie theatre and the apartment building. Hopper’s figures are considered in light of various art forms, notably Film Noir and the depiction of the female figure in advertising and the American ‘pin-up’, particularly in relation to the influential role of Hopper’s early career as a commercial illustrator. They are also assessed in terms of the personal life of the artist, and the affect that his marriage had upon his perception and depiction of the female figure. Hopper’s depiction of light is of crucial importance across his oeuvre, which instead of being examined specifically, is discussed where pertinent. These elements combine within his paintings to reveal his portrayal of the human condition, and by tracing the development of his images through the reductive process of composition employed in his mature works, his very personal vision of modern America is revealed. This culminates in the depiction of sunlight in an empty room: his ultimate enigmatic ‘statement’ of being.