"Morning in a City" (1944) by Edward Hopper

"Morning in a City" (1944) by Edward Hopper, oil on canvas, 44 5/16 X 59 13/16 inches

On view until April 15, 2007 at the The Williams College Museum of Art (Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA) is the exhibition Drawing on Hopper: Gregory Crewdson/Edward Hopper, an intimate glimpse inside the creative process of two artists separated by time but connected through a single subject: the psychological landscape of American culture.

The exhibition is an opportunity to study a singular masterpiece by Edward Hopper in a new light and in the context of a contemporary artist's view of inspiration and influence. Hopper's Morning in a City, one of the WCMA's most popular paintings, recently underwent conservation treatment at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center to remove several layers of varnish and wax resin residue that had discolored over time. As a result of this treatment, the painting is now as brilliant as when it was first painted in 1944, closer to the artist's original intentions and open to new interpretations. The surface of the painting once again shows Hopper's remarkable degree of subtle brushwork and varied color. Displayed alongside are nine preparatory drawings or "sketches", on loan from the Whitney Museum of American Art, offering a rare opportunity to examine the artist's working process. The sketches allow viewers to consider alternate versions of this painting and to see how Hopper arrived at the final composition, with its tense, unresolved narrative.