East Side Interior 1922

Edward Hopper made this small etching, "East Side Interior," at an unknown date, using black ink on paper. It’s all about the process of seeing, isn't it? The lines feel tentative, almost searching, like he's figuring out the space as he goes. Hopper’s mark-making is so tangible here. Look at the way he renders the curtains on the left and right. It is an intricate web of hatching and cross-hatching, that transforms into a dense and claustrophobic wall of blackness. The rest of the scene is rendered in much lighter strokes, creating an incredible depth. The woman is the only light point in the room, she could be Judith, or a Suzanne, caught in a moment of quiet reflection, with the bright window serving as a stage for her thoughts. What is she looking at? The blank space outside the window serves as an invitation to enter her mind. The whole image is like a memory, flickering between light and shadow, presence and absence. You can see an affinity to Whistler in the image, maybe even Manet.