I could stare at this painting for hours and not get bored. Edward Hopper's Sun on Prospect Street is much like other Hopper paintings. He has stripped out a lot of visual complexity - there are no curtains in the windows, for instance - and he has removed the people. There is vibrant sunshine on paint and blocks of complex colors. In fact, by removing some of the objects in the painting, he has focused our attention on how light and color are affected by each other.
And while at first my eyes are drawn to the yellow gable on the left of the image, soon I find myself looking at the sharp “V” of roof to the right, and how the shadows play across its surface.
I'm fortunate that this particular Hopper painting hangs just about ten miles from my house, in the Cincinnati Art Museum, so I can occasionally go stare at it in person, on one of the days where I visit my own hometown as if I was a tourist. However, to save time, I've also purchased this postcard version and mounted it on the wall above my computer in my studio.
And what's going on with that tree on the right? The washed out nature of the leaves suggests motion, perhaps it is windy?
The viewer gets to fill in the details. The simplicity creates complexity, and forces the viewer to participate. Instead of telling a story, as much great art can do, it merely provides a setting in which a story you can imagine will play out.
Hopper's paintings, like animated movies, convey the sense that every detail is selected and intentional. Nothing is left to chance, and yet a lot is left to interpretation.
A similar painting Sun in an Empty Room inspired Jon K. Samson of The Weakerthans to write this song with the same title.
Take this moment to decide
(Sun in an empty room)
If we meant it, if we tried
(Sun in an empty room)
Or felt around for far too much
(Sun in an empty room)
From things that accidentally touched
(Sun in an empty room)