Materialism at its Finest? Edward Hopper and the use of Paintings Without People.

Gaining popularity during the mid-20th century, Edward Hopper became well known for creating lively paintings. Many of these were works on places where human beings were mostly absent. While not characteristic of all of his works, Hopper focused his paintings mainly on places and things to push a realist style of art. This style gives creedence to the idea that the surrounding environment contains lots of messages and it can make humans view the world through a societial and not an individual lens. The Lighthouse at Two Lights (1929) and From the Williamsburg Bridge (1928) exude this style.