The National Gallery here in DC has two pretty big shows on this fall: J.M.W. Turner and Edward Hopper. I'm sure that in the Pantheon of High Art, Turner is afforded greater status than Hopper but as an American, I prefer Hopper. Apparently a few folks agree with me because the show was packed on a Thursday afternoon. Though he's best known for Nighthawks (at left), his paintings of seaside dwellings in Maine and on Cape Cod (below center) and his depiction of light in these settings is also wonderful. His urban work like Nighthawks and Automat (below right) effectively contrast isolation with the physical environment of the city. In his pictures, there seems to be less isolation in a seemingly empty house in Maine than at a lunch counter in the city. There is also a small selection of his sketches on display. The one below left is an excellent example. A very good show.
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