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Conner Ellis

Prof. Betsy Hawley

ARTH1110

9/28/20

Nighthawks: A Cursory Analysis

Light shimmering from a lone diner on the four patrons inside sets the scene

for Edward Hopper’s quintessential 1942 piece, Nighthawks. Hopper implicitly

illustrates elements of isolation and voyeurism, among others, through his usage of

wide composition, linear dimensionality, and immersive modeling of the figures

seated in the diner.

Looking at this piece, immediately the viewer’s eyes are drawn up and across

the long, wide lines of the lower register created by the windowsill of the diner,

leading towards the quartet sitting inside. The lines of the sill are accentuated by that

of the bar and stools seated parallel just inside the window, giving the piece an almost

unnatural depth and idealism. It is this depth that allows Hopper to separate the

elements of his piece, whether they be people, objects, or lighting, and to create the

physical isolation that is so prominent in this work. The frame is taken up almost

entirely by the structure of the diner, yet about a fifth of the space is left for the

building behind the diner, with the only light being cast on the outside brick from

within the wide eatery. This light is what betrays the depth and dimensionality of the

space outside the window. Had the lighter shade of red on the brick been longer,

wider, or larger, the diner would lose all dimensional relation to the outside world.

The diner is almost perfectly isolated, alone at night, serving as the only source of

light and solace for its patrons.

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The windowsill, bar, stools, and ceiling create an intense linear perspective

that resolves somewhere far off of the left side of the canvas, invisible to the viewer.

Though these lines point to an imaginary place, they don’t distract from the main

figures seated inside the diner; If anything, these straight and organized lines draw

attention to the rugged and disorderly poses of the patrons and the bartender inside.

The planar organization made by this linear perspective complements the depth

mentioned above by Hopper’s use of light and value, the rays of light created by the

windowsill and ceiling lines are straight and unwavering, cast onto the building

behind. This simplicity with light does not detract from the detail of the piece, instead

it works towards creating the calmness that Hopper makes so abundant. The use of

straight lines to create a simple and uniform environment for the geometrically and

contextually complex subjects inside the diner further isolate these patrons both

geometrically and symbolically, a sort of stratification between idealism and realism,

as the patrons are very real people living in a seemly idealized locale.

Isolation and voyeurism are two of the key themes that are engendered by this

interplay with shadow, light, and form. The modeling that Hopper employs gives the

viewer an unquestionable viewpoint within the scene, situating them in the same

physical space one might have while crossing the street outside, as a voyeur looking

in on a scene they were most likely not meant to see. The way Hopper illustrates glass

is another example of this voyeuristic theme. Other than the shimmer of external light

on the curved, left side of the pane, the physicality of the glass is almost nonexistent.

The glass disappears. While giving the viewer an unobstructed glimpse into the

internal events of the diner, Hopper reminds them that the patrons inside are as

isolated and as cut off from the outside world as one could be. In what was most

likely an intentional feature, the only door to be seen in the work that would imply
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contact with the outside world is inside the diner, towards the back, what we assume

to be the kitchen.

Standing, hunched over in front of the door is the bartender, his face in profile,

wearing an all white uniform. He looks up softly towards the couple seated facing the

viewer. It looks as though he’s attempting to engage them in conversation, yet

nobody’s mouth is open and nobody except the bartender acknowledges the other.

Not only is the diner separated from the outside world, but its patrons are isolated

from one another. The aforementioned couple, illuminated perfectly by the lighting of

the diner, barely notice one another. The fact that they are sitting together possibly

indicates they know each other, yet perhaps in this moment they’re temporarily

estranged. The man’s hands overlap with the woman’s, but the detail and depth

Hopper gives their figure as compared with the rest of the piece show that their hands

are not actually touching, perhaps in distain, perhaps in lack of familiarity with one

another.

The man to the left is what finalizes the isolationist theme of this piece. Facing

away from the viewer almost perfectly, he reveals nothing to the voyeur and is

completely separated from the trio of the couple and the bartender. His face is neither

shown in front nor in profile, and he seems to be staring down, either at the couple’s

hands or what the bartender is reaching down to grab. He sits on the end corner of the

bar, closest to the window and the dark street. Perhaps brooding, perhaps deep in

thought, or possibly just content with his loneliness. This small detail, the minute

positioning of this one character is enough to relay to the viewer exactly what this

piece is about, invoking emotion implicitly, rather than describing context explicitly.
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The name of the piece itself, Nighthawks suggest that these people are outliers,

estranged from the world outside themselves, yet comfortable in their own solidarity.

These people are out later than others, perhaps because night is when they feel most

comfortable in their loneliness, or perhaps for the simple fact that they can’t sleep.

Whatever the context may be for these figures, Hopper’s use of space, lighting, and

form perfectly display a pure emotion and interpersonal dialogue of isolation,

voyeurism, and perhaps, reflection.

Nighthawks, 1942, Edward Hopper, American, Art Institute of Chicago

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