Chop Suey 1929

Edward Hopper made this painting of an interior scene, with oil on canvas, sometime in the early 20th century. I imagine Hopper starting with a basic sketch, mapping out the composition with a few strokes. Then he blocked in the larger areas of color. Think of him mixing those muted tones of greens, yellows, and blues, probably on a simple wooden palette. The paint looks smoothly applied, not too thick, allowing for subtle gradations of light and shadow. That woman in the green dress, she's really *there*, isn’t she? Hopper’s focus on her draws you in, doesn't it? I feel like he's capturing a moment of quiet contemplation, a pause in the middle of a busy day. There’s a touch of melancholy in her expression, a kind of stillness that’s both inviting and a little unsettling. This is typical of Hopper, and it reminds me of the work of other painters like Vilhelm Hammershøi, who also captured those quiet, domestic moments. Ultimately, painting is about seeing and thinking, and then seeing again.