Description
The evolution of modern life impacted people in many ways in the early 20th century, and in “Macomb’s Dam Bridge”, Edward Hopper reflects on this fast pace by grinding life to a halt. This Hopper painting from 1935 depicts the bridge that to this day stretches over the Harlem River to connect Manhattan and the Bronx. Defying the hustle and bustle of New York City, Hopper shows the bridge in the stillness of the morning, leading to an almost spooky quiet in this typically busy area. For many people, modernity led them to feel alienated and isolated as the world sped up around them. Hopper was one of these people, and this somber painting from the height of his career visualizes that isolation via an object designed to bring people together. It uses more subdued colors than many of his other works, but retains his emotion and attention to detail, resulting in a Hopper landscape painting that serves as a meditation on the lives we lead.
