Light at Two lights 1927

Edward Hopper painted this watercolor, “Light at Two Lights,” using paper and pigments available at any art supply store. But his technique is what truly defines this image. Notice how Hopper’s sparse, dry brushstrokes capture the stark New England light, and how the white of the paper shines through, adding a sense of luminosity to the lighthouse and adjacent buildings. Hopper’s brushwork is economical, almost architectural in its precision, mirroring the clean lines of the built environment he depicts. The artist applied thin washes to delineate form, exploiting watercolor’s transparency to create depth and shadow. Hopper, trained as an illustrator, likely appreciated the efficiency of watercolor, a medium that allowed him to quickly capture fleeting moments and the stark realities of American life. In this artwork, we see a celebration of ordinary materials and the beauty found in simplicity.