The Empty Stage in Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning, Girlie Show, and Two Comedians

This paper seeks to argue that Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning (1930), Girlie Show (1941), and Two Comedians (1966) all show interest in the ephemerality of stage art. These paintings, I argue, depend upon innovations and fashions in lighting and set design from Hopper’ era. These influences, I...

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Main Author: Philip Smith
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: European Association for American Studies 2021-08-01
Series:European Journal of American Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/16694
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author Philip Smith
author_facet Philip Smith
author_sort Philip Smith
collection DOAJ
description This paper seeks to argue that Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning (1930), Girlie Show (1941), and Two Comedians (1966) all show interest in the ephemerality of stage art. These paintings, I argue, depend upon innovations and fashions in lighting and set design from Hopper’ era. These influences, I further contend, extend beyond the mechanical to the thematic; if these paintings resemble the stage, it is significant that the stages he depicts are vacant of actors or signify either a scene which is about to occur or one which has ended. By evoking the empty stage, Hopper’s work, I seek to demonstrate, invites meditations on the impermanence of stagecraft.
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spelling doaj-art-d629ff5739084490894393c9f51a8e092025-01-06T09:08:34ZengEuropean Association for American StudiesEuropean Journal of American Studies1991-93362021-08-0116110.4000/ejas.16694The Empty Stage in Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning, Girlie Show, and Two ComediansPhilip SmithThis paper seeks to argue that Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning (1930), Girlie Show (1941), and Two Comedians (1966) all show interest in the ephemerality of stage art. These paintings, I argue, depend upon innovations and fashions in lighting and set design from Hopper’ era. These influences, I further contend, extend beyond the mechanical to the thematic; if these paintings resemble the stage, it is significant that the stages he depicts are vacant of actors or signify either a scene which is about to occur or one which has ended. By evoking the empty stage, Hopper’s work, I seek to demonstrate, invites meditations on the impermanence of stagecraft.https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/16694theatreEdward Hoppertwentieth centurypainting
spellingShingle Philip Smith
The Empty Stage in Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning, Girlie Show, and Two Comedians
European Journal of American Studies
theatre
Edward Hopper
twentieth century
painting
title The Empty Stage in Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning, Girlie Show, and Two Comedians
title_full The Empty Stage in Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning, Girlie Show, and Two Comedians
title_fullStr The Empty Stage in Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning, Girlie Show, and Two Comedians
title_full_unstemmed The Empty Stage in Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning, Girlie Show, and Two Comedians
title_short The Empty Stage in Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning, Girlie Show, and Two Comedians
title_sort empty stage in edward hopper s early sunday morning girlie show and two comedians
topic theatre
Edward Hopper
twentieth century
painting
url https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/16694
work_keys_str_mv AT philipsmith theemptystageinedwardhoppersearlysundaymorninggirlieshowandtwocomedians
AT philipsmith emptystageinedwardhoppersearlysundaymorninggirlieshowandtwocomedians