''Hotel by a Railroad'' is a

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

completed in 1952 by the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

realist painter and printmaker

Edward Hopper Edward Hopper (July 22, 1882 – May 15, 1967) was an American realist painter and printmaker. While he is widely known for his oil paintings, he was equally proficient as a watercolorist and printmaker in etching. Hopper created subdued drama ...

. The work is an oil on canvas, measuring 101.9 x 79.3 cm. It resides in the collection of the

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is an art museum beside the National Mall, in Washington, D.C., the United States. The museum was initially endowed during the 1960s with the permanent art collection of Joseph H. Hirshhorn. It was desig ...

Description

The painting depicts a man and a woman, presumably a middle-aged couple, inside a room. The woman is seated at the left, reading a book, while the man is looking at the window. They both have grey hair; the man is bald, has a moustache, and his smoking a cigarette. The man and the woman do not look at each other, and they seem absorbed on their own interests. This simultaneously connects them, making them similar, and separates them, creating a barrier between the two. This is emphasized by the reduced perspective. Through the window, in the direction the man is looking, there is a wall and a closed window. In the mirror, at the left, which together with the window forms the center of the composition, nothing is visible except fuzzy reflections. The woman's attention is focused on her book, while the man is looking on something outside that isn't visible. The painting depicts a complex interplay of dynamics, boundaries and surfaces.Rolf Günter Renner, ''Edward Hopper'', Cologne, Taschen, 2000

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hotel by a Railroad 1952 paintings Paintings by Edward Hopper Collection of the Smithsonian Institution