Why Did Edward Hopper Paint This Clown?

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A perculiar talent; the ability to paint 'silence'. Although background noises would prob surround the events in Hopper's works, they fade into insignifance and silence 'muffles' them. For e.g. the painting Morning Sun (woman in pink on bed) would contain strret sounds, traffic, etc and yet we seem to identify with the women who seems oblivious to her surroundings - in her own personal silence. All painting are 'intrisically' silent but Hopper actually had the skill to make it tangible - THAT is surely, genius!

Ever since I started watching this channel the way I look at art is completely different and I thank you for that

I’m a clown and I love this painting, clowns had a different connotation in France at this time. The clown in the painting is a particular type that was born in France (the Pierrot) which was born out of the Italian commedia del arte (Pedrolino) This character was quite famous during the time—the character being advanced by more development of the lyrical sad nature, more beautiful than the original. It could be that he added it as a symbolic gesture, as clowns are less “human” and more archetypal. Clowns don’t normally sit down in full makeup in a cafe especially as some of them were considered “stars” at the time (Jean Louis Barrault)

He did paint clowns again. Maybe not a "sad clown" but certainly a melancholy pair of Pierrots on stage in his Two Comedians painting from 1965. As his final painting, it certainly serves as a curtain call.

There’s an old urban legend in art history that the clown in Soir Bleu was actually a self portrait of hopper himself. Either from a photo of his younger self or as he was at the time. Incredibly interesting. I have a tattoo of the clown from Soir Bleu.

I grew up outside Chicago. As a teen, I ditched class and took the train to the Art Institute at least once a month. There's nothing like looking at Nighthawks up close and personal. I was very fortunate to have access to a major art museum as a kid and as an adult (although I don't go much anymore).

I remember watching that painting when I was a child and thinking "poor clown, he is tired from a long day of working", that painting always drawned me, it has that sensation of loneliness but at the same time some kind of peacefulness

edward hopper has been my favourite artist. whenever i see his paintings, i feel like he captured the paintings just like a photographer would, but drawn with hands and holds so much personal feelings. i don’t know how to describe it, they’re just beautiful.

I feel people didn't have the same emotion tied into it like he did, it seemed like it went right over their heads. All his work is very somber and introspective to me. I am a sucker for sad clowns but I was struck by the painting right away!

Something his art does for you is make you feel seen. As the person who often goes unnoticed, and lonely and I can resonate with these people in his lonely figure paintings, him painting them realistically and emotional effective makes me feel like I’m being seen myself when looking at it. It gives a melancholy, almost unnerving feeling yet a warm and bright feeling all in one. It’s very fascinating to get such an emotion from a painting

As a real life sad clown, I really appreciate these videos. I feel represented without being ostracized. Thank you, good sir. Have a blessed day.

This has long been my secret favorite painting of Hopper's. When I look at Soir Bleu, I see Hopper considering the most influential array of European artists during his time in Paris, and wondering perhaps at what his own legacy could one day be. Consider the "bohemian" as Van Gogh, the bearded man as Matisse, the woman as Renoir, Lautrec in the lower left, and of course the clown is Picasso himself.

What I always liked about Night Hawks was how American it is. I always thought of this artist as being one of the first to capture a uniquely American aesthetic. I love French art too, but the fact that Soir Bleu is very French makes me think that Hopper hadn't found his true element yet. That he was just imitating what he learned in France and what he thought would be more popular, instead of finding his own niche which is what would eventually make him uniquely special.

I find it interesting how Edward Hopper was able to portray/show loneliness even when in groups/society. Especially from today's society of cell phones and internet and so much interconnection but also disconnect. They feel very modern to me. I think some of them tie into how capitalism is lonely and other similar themes. Thanks for the great videos, I enjoy them!

Andrew Wyeth and Edward Hopper met on many occasions and it's interesting that both were masters of the expression of detachment and loneliness. It can be argued that Wyeth's "Christina's World" evokes the same feelings and resonates those separate from, or insulated in their unique and secluded environments. Great Video!

Hopper had an ability to portray isolation and the fear of the unknown like no other. In every one of his paintings there is an eeriness that lingers in the background. I would argue that the viewer is to feel they are being watched as we are watching the subjects themselves. The canvass becomes a mirror, in a way, reflecting the shared human experience of the creeping feeling you are being watched. I always particularly enjoy his paintings within cities. The subjects are surrounded by people and yet his scenes feel so isolated, so empty, so cold. Yet, despite the fact that it feels empty, there is a sense that someone/something is watching either the subjects or the viewer themselves. While I'm not much of an art fan, per se, I've always enjoyed the work of Hopper in particular. Thanks for the video.

This channel is an absolute gem-- the way you explain the emotions imbued in every piece of art is enthralling.

I find it interesting that Hopper gave all the figures blacked out eyes, being windows to the soul, like voids. It's very creepy, and he did it in several of his other paintings. His emphasis on alienation loneliness, and solitude, makes him a standout painter in the modern era. He's the perfect pandemic painter.

I used to have a kinda twisted view of the world, and thought i found comfort in art, thanks to your channel i discovered that i found comfort in the meaning of art, not art itself, i appreciate you for that.