Evening Wind, like many of Hopper’s most iconic artworks, presents an interior view of an individual in the most private of moments. A naked woman kneels at the edge of her bed, turning her head towards the sight of her curtain billowing from the open window. Her face is veiled by the drape of her hair; thus, her emotion, whether it be surprise, fear, or ambivalence, is a mystery, illustrating Hopper’s unique ability to imbue an everyday scene with an aura of drama and uncertainty. The woman’s ambiguous stance elevates this mood, begging the question of whether she is retreating into bed despite the gale, getting up to shut the window, or recoiling from the scene outside. Further, the world beyond the window becomes a void of stark white paper to suggest the infinite potentiality of what might be occurring beyond the print’s edge.
The emptiness of the unknown exterior is juxtaposed against Hopper’s rich and expressive etching technique, which casts much of the scene in a crosshatched darkness. Contrasts between light and shadow transform the simple bedroom into a cinematic set, the woman playing the protagonist in this New York scene. In the shallowness of this room, the viewer is situated with a closeness to the woman, as though personally involved in the intrigue of this enigmatic tableau.
Caspar David Friedrich, Frau am Fenster (Woman at the Window), 1822, Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin. Image: © NPL - DeA Picture Library / Bridgeman Images Literature
Gail Levin 77
Catalogue Essay
This image is illustrated on the cover of Gail Levin's Edward Hopper, The Complete Prints, 1979.
Property from a Distinguished Maryland Estate
37
Evening Wind (L. 77)
1921
Etching, on wove paper, with wide margins.
I. 6 7/8 x 8 1/4 in. (17.5 x 21 cm)
S. 12 7/8 x 13 3/4 in. (32.7 x 34.9 cm)
Signed in pencil, annotated 'The Evening Wind $25.' in pencil in the lower left margin, framed.
Estimate
$25,000 - 35,000
Sold for $27,940
Editions@phillips.com
212 940 1220
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New York Auction 24-26 October 2023
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