August in the City 1945

Edward Hopper’s ‘August in the City’ is made with oil on canvas, and captures a corner of urban life. I can just imagine Hopper with his brush, carefully plotting out the composition, the heavy shadows, and the warm light pouring into the windows, the surface of the canvas built up in layers, each stroke deliberate yet full of feeling. I see him building the cool greys of the wall, and the subtle gradation of light as it wraps around the rounded facade of the building. The way he’s handled the paint – thick in some areas, thin in others – adds to the sense of depth and texture. Look at how the verticals of the curtains in the window play against the horizontal pull of the landscape. I'm struck by this painterly dance of light and shadow, stillness and movement. It makes me think about how we, as painters, are all in conversation with one another across time, riffing on similar themes and techniques, each bringing our own unique perspective to the mix. What will someone looking at my paintings in the future think?