Edward Hopper (American, 1882–1967)
Western Motel, 1957
Oil on canvas, 30 1/4 x 50 1/8 in. (77.8 x 128.3 cm)
Bequest of Stephen Carlton Clark, B.A. 1903
1961.18.32

Hopper found inspiration in the commonplace of American life. In Western Motel, an anonymous motel bedroom becomes a symbol of the mobility and rootlessness of modern life. The spare furnishings, stark interior, and sharp bands of light produce a composition of masterful simplicity, yet one that is layered with psychological ambiguity. The woman's stare across the room does not seem to take us in. The pensiveness of her stare and tense posture accentuate the sense of some impending event. She appears to be waiting: the luggage is packed; the room is devoid of personal objects; the bed is made; a car is parked outside the window.

Tags: Hopper, 1957, 1 PC gray, fig, area of black, curved body, face starring back, sky, non-heroic, illuminated from side, illustrative, realistic,