"Room and Narrative"

Edward Hopper (July 22, 1882 – May 15, 1967) was a prominent American realist painter.In both his urban and rural scenes, his spare and finely calculated renderings reflected his personal vision of modern American life.[Sherry Maker, Edward Hopper, Brompton Books, New York, 1990, p. 6]

Chop Suey, 1929, Edward Hopper, american, 1882-1967, oil on canvas, 32*38 in. Collection of Barney A.Ebsworth

This is one of his paintings I became interested in. I think There is a lot to read in it. From women to the culture of that time and to the effects and impacts of it.

In Hopper's time, Women took their place in New York restaurants as never before. In restaurants hopper saw the changing face of the American woman. Victorian-era rules of feminine behavior were being discarded everywhere. For a proper woman, "dining out" traditionally meant eating in the company of a suitable escort, lest the lady be mistaken for a prostitute; typically only male businessmen or travelers dined in restaurants. When the discreet but friendly sign "Table for Ladies" appeared in the window, it signaled a restaurant's acceptance that society was changing.

In this painting newly liberated women who work, dine, live independently are being shown. They are seating by one of these Table for Ladies. As the window which they are seated by is half covered so they are not being watched or starred from outside and they feel more comfortable while they have good light inside. At the meantime, there is a couple seating behind them by a window which is not covered.The two women do not seem to be happy. They look like depressed or tired, maybe of the burdens or pressure on them occurred by new industrial and society revolution. Maybe the only thing which calms them down is talking to each other. What they need is a place of refuge, comfortable, nonthreatening environment.

Although this is clearly a figurative work, Hopper flirts with abstraction. The women are surrounded by a balance of geometric forms: the angular table between them, the layers of rectangles that animate the foreground window, and the blue and yellow patches visible through the far window that suggest shafts of light on the adjacent building.