From empty cityscapes and elevated trains to deserted diners, Edward Hopper’s scenes depicting life in New York during the early 20th century are the subject of this exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art (19 October–5 March 2023). The artist lived in the city for nearly 60 years and his paintings record a pivotal moment in New York’s urban development. However, despite the city’s expansion, Hopper’s scenes remained intimate in scale and largely unpopulated. The show includes rarely shown early sketches such as Moving Train (c. 1900) alongside recognisable paintings of domestic life such as Room in New York (1932) and depictions of New York’s angular skyline in works such as Manhattan Bridge Loop (1928) and Carnegie Rooftops, Washington Bridge (1926). Meanwhile, in paintings such as City Roofs (1932) and Early Sunday Morning (1930) Hopper vividly captures moments of stillness. Find out more on the Whitney’s website.
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Early Sunday Morning (1930), Edward Hopper. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York © 2019 Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper/Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Room in New York (1932), © 2022 Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper/Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Moving Train (c. 1900), Edward Hopper. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York . © 2022 Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper/Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York