This triptych is formed by three skate decks made of 7 ply grade A Canadian maple wood.
© 2022 Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper/Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Edward Hopper is renowned for capturing urban solitude and the light of New York, and his painting City Roofs (1932) is a prime example. This oil on canvas offers a unique view of the city from a rooftop, depicting buildings, chimneys, and antennas in a composition that balances geometry and reality.
In City Roofs, Hopper demonstrates his ability to convey quietness and isolation even amidst urban density. The work includes no human figures; instead, the city itself takes center stage, illuminated with Hopper’s characteristic dramatic light. The contrast between bright surfaces and deep shadows creates depth and volume, while the interplay of warm and cool tones generates a serene and contemplative atmosphere.
The elevated perspective allows the viewer to observe the city from a point between intimacy and introspection, highlighting urban solitude and the beauty of the everyday. Hopper also plays with the abstraction of rooftops and structures, turning common elements into almost geometric forms—a feature that links his work to modern painting without losing connection to reality.
In short, Edward Hopper’s City Roofs is a visual study of light, form, and silence, showing how the city can feel both familiar and alienating. This work captures the essence of modern solitude, offering a space for contemplation amid the urban bustle and cementing Hopper’s reputation as one of the great chroniclers of city life.
