Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks,” the 1942 oil painting depicting loneliness in the big city, is undoubtedly one of the most well-known and parodied pieces of American art of the past century. Over the years, it’s been referenced on The Simpsons, inspired the nearly equally as iconic “Boulevard of Broken Dreams" painting, and even inspired a 2013 Sherlock promo image. But what is it about this simple, yet extremely evocative piece of art that has made it such a big part of pop culture over the past 80 years?
I recently had a conversation with J.K. Simmons, who provides the voice of the famed artist in the PBS documentary American Masters - HOPPER: An American Love Story, and when I asked the Academy Award-winning actor why he felt “Nighthawks” has long been one of the most parodied pieces of American art, he had this to say:
