Similarities Between Nightlife And Nighthawks

The Art Institute of Chicago is an artistic architectural structure that graces Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. At the entrance of the Art Museum, stand two guardian lion statues. Lion statues were status symbols for great dwellings that were placed outside of main entranceways to promote good and to stop evil from entering in. As I entered the building, I sensed myself going back into an era, into a past where people traded ideas and learned from each other. It is a past where we find works of yesteryears within our grasp; to be remembered, shared and treasured. As Ms. Cherwin guided us through the museum, I couldn’t stop wondering if the artists knew that their works of art would one day be shared and appreciated so many years
Around the same time period, in 1942, Edward Hopper painted his masterpiece, Nighthawks. Both Nightlife and Nighthawks portray scenes in a large city, though very differently. Nighthawks lends feelings of loneliness and isolation, whereas Nightlife gives off an air of closeness and camaraderie. In Nighthawks, there are only four subjects portrayed and there is no evidence of interaction between them. In Nightlife, there are numerous subjects, engaging in drinking, dancing, and what appears to be lively conversation. Nighthawks gives the viewer the sense that the subjects are dwelling on their problems, whereas in Nightlife, the viewer gets the sense that the subjects are trying to get away from their problems. The color schemes used in both compositions are very different as well. Hopper chose reds, oranges, browns and yellows to create the contrasting brightness of the diner with the darkness of the isolated street outside. Motley chose vibrant shades of rich purple for his composition, which create feelings of warmth and closeness, as well as giving it a whimsical