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,

labels 3

sky, face starring back,face with odd features, body with odd features, muscular, curved body, full frontal, full back, animals, imaginary animals, horse, rabbit, fish, emotional, mix of emotions, large top space, internally framed, alcohol depicted, people working, people eating, love position, violence, surrealistic, background dark, background structural, heroic, non-heroic, Christian, religious,
mythological, historical, war theme, pastoral, circle of three w/ bystander, hard outline of people, triangle, inverse triangle, sig numbers, art inside, oriental influence, geometric pattern, illuminated from side, illuminated front on, no illumination taken into account, shadows, self revealed, Interest to me, Idea possibility,

labels 2

, realistic, hyper realistic, illustrative, 1 fig, 2 fig,3 fig,4 fig,5 fig, group, color of clothing, water, sky, face starring back,face with odd features, body with odd features, muscular, curved body, full frontal, full back, animals, imaginary animals, horse, rabbit, fish, emotional, mix of emotions, large top space, internally framed, alcohol depicted, people working, people eating, love position, violence, surrealistic, background dark, background structural, heroic, non-heroic, Christian, religious,
mythological, historical, war theme, pastoral, circle of three w/ bystander, hard outline of people, triangle, inverse triangle, sig numbers, art inside, oriental influence, geometric pattern, illuminated from side, illuminated front on, no illumination taken into account, shadows, self revealed, Interest to me, Idea possibility,