The City 1927

Edward Hopper made "The City" with oil on canvas, and wow, what a way to look at a city. The colour palette is muted, almost like a faded memory, and the brushstrokes are so deliberate. You can tell he really took his time to build up those layers. Look at the way he handled the light on that building to the right, almost like it's been bleached out by the sun. The paint application is so controlled, yet there's a rawness to it. The texture isn't screaming for attention, but it’s there, adding depth. And that lone building in the distance – it's like a silent observer, watching over the whole scene. It reminds me a little of Giorgio de Chirico; that same sense of stillness, of something just out of reach. Hopper wasn't interested in painting the hustle and bustle; he was more interested in the quiet moments, the empty spaces. He's inviting us to slow down, to really see the city, and to feel its solitude.