Exploring Edward Hopper’s Imaginary Washington Square

Examining Edward Hopper’s Aesthetic Inclinations and his Imaginary Washington Square

Christopher Cartmill’s in class presentation focusing on Edward Hopper’s imaginary Washington Square Park was fascinating and extremely beneficial in helping me imagine ways to enhance my final project. For my project I am planning to design a dramatic 19th century dress (in silhouette) that incorporates an abstract expressionist inspired print. Through brief dramatic narratives professor Cartmill expressed the engaging technique of creating imaginary worlds that infuse historical ideas and that, in turn, can foster novel modes of creative expression. It was also wonderful to learn about Edward Hopper’s life as an artist and to appreciate his creative influences in and around New Washington Square. Professor Cartmill explained that Hopper’s cinematic, wide compositions and dramatic use of light and dark shadows marked his distinct place in art history as a prominent dramatic scene painter. One of the most well known of Hopper’s paintings is called Nighthawks (1942), which shows customers sitting at the counter of an all-night diner. The diner’s harsh electric lights set it apart from the dark night outside and the scene combines a dramatic and mysterious mood with nuanced emotions conveyed by the seated diners. Professor Cartmill used Hopper’s work to explore the value of varied interpretation while identifying the expressive creative freedom that resulted in the imaginary visual narratives in his paintings. Finally, the exploration of the imaginary symbolism in Hoppers paintings added to the insight and inspiration I used to create the material world of Madame Vivionette for my “Windows on Washington Square” assignment.