Nighthawks by Edward Hopper: Great Art Explained

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2. Lack of egress and other enigmas

One quick view of Hopper's "Nighthawks" can leave a lasting impression. A studied view leads to seeing details, many covered by this fifteen-minute exploration. It answered one question I have always had of the diner's huge and impossibly large expanse of uninterrupted glass and the enigmatic "bend in the glass." It was to set the painting as a stage (which Hopper wanted) and the best way to capture that feel was with the glass as if it were not even there limiting the scene.