Nighthawks- Art HIstory #1

"Nighthawks" is a painting by the American Painter Edward Hopper in 1942. It takes place in a New York restaurant named "Phillies". There are three customers and the man behind the counter is dressed in all white. The man and woman that are holding hands don't look very happy but more into their own separate worlds and thoughts. The main characters seem to be the couple and man behind the counter because the other man has his back turned so we cannot see his expression. The man behind the counter is leaning to grab something but you can tell he is talking to the couple because of the way his face is positioned to be looking at them. The restaurant itself looks very simple and the simplicity that surrounds it does not make it seem as simple. The light from the restaurant lights up part of the street and building behind it but the building's corner is darker.

The mood of the painting is lonely. It makes the small restaurant seem like the only place awake in New York at the time. The light that shines from it is very bright. It gives off a sense of emptiness, loneliness and isolation. The characters seem to be thinking more about different things rather than focusing on what is happening at the moment. The emotional separation expressed between the couple makes me feel bad for them. The characters look lost and the man behind the counter is the only character that doesn't look as tired as the others. The painting is very simple but also sparks your curiosity.

There is a Balance between the light from the restaurant to the dark building behind it. Hopper uses light and dark to express the shadows. The whole painting itself is asymmetrical but their are some approximately symmetrical and symmetrical objects. The color and brightness fades as you come furthere out of the store. Hopper does a good job with light and dark contrast.