Davis House 1926

Edward Hopper made this painting of the Davis House with a brushy watercolour technique, sometime during his career. There's something both specific and anonymous about it, a tension that makes you wonder about its story. The paint is fairly transparent, and he layers thin washes to build up the forms. Look at the shadows under the eaves and the way he suggests the clapboard siding, it's all about letting the light and colour do the work. The colours are muted, earthy, but with a kind of warmth that keeps it from feeling too bleak. There's a touch of yellow ochre in the walls of the house that sings. Hopper's always been interested in how we see, how we look at the world. He creates these quiet, contemplative spaces that make you feel like you're eavesdropping on a moment. Think of the stark realism of the Ashcan School, but with a touch of something more…emotional, more personal. He's saying something about the way we live, the way we see each other, and the way we see ourselves. It's never just one thing.