Edward Hopper was born in New York in 1882.
A realist painter he became one of Americas most renowned artists.
This image depicts a nearly empty movie theatre, to the side an usherette is deep in thought.
Hopper was fascinated with film and often spent full days at the theatre when experiencing creative blocks. He made fifty preparatory sketches of various theatre venues before starting the painting.
Combining elements from different sources he used his wife Josephine as a model for the usherette in their New York apartment posing under a lamp. When painting women his aim was to portray them with honesty rather than with obvious sex appeal.
This painting was regarded as one of his most accomplished works.