Summer Interior 1909

Edward Hopper made this painting, Summer Interior, probably in the middle of his career, using oil on canvas. I love how Hopper uses light; it’s not just about illumination, but about creating a mood. Look at the way the sunlight falls on the floor, those stark white rectangles, and how they contrast with the shadowed areas. The paint is applied in these flat, deliberate strokes, almost like he’s building a stage set. He wasn't interested in blending and softening, he wanted to present these sharp angles and stark contrasts, and it's all about the feeling of the painting, this moment of quiet intensity. The way Hopper frames the figure is interesting because it reminds me of some of Degas' paintings of women in intimate settings, but Hopper brings this distinctly American sensibility, like a scene from a play by Ibsen. There is something universal about the themes he is portraying, a sense of isolation and reflection. It's a painting that stays with you.