Who painted Early Sunday Morning?

Early Sunday Morning was painted by Edward Hopper in 1930.

Where can I see Early Sunday Morning?

Early Sunday Morning is held by Whitney Museum of American Art.

What movement is Early Sunday Morning?

Early Sunday Morning is associated with Ashcan School.

Artwork

Early Sunday Morning

Edward Hopper , 1930

Early Sunday Morning is an oil painting by the Ashcan School artist Edward Hopper. It dates from 1930 and is held in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1930, Early Sunday Morning is an oil on canvas that presents a quiet stretch of Seventh Avenue. The composition is dominated by a row of storefronts, their awnings rendered in muted tones, and a solitary barber’s pole that punctuates the street scene. The work is part of the Whitney Museum of American Art’s permanent collection.

Subject & Meaning

The painting captures a moment of stillness in an urban environment, emphasizing the absence of pedestrians and the subdued atmosphere of a Sunday morning. By isolating everyday architectural elements, the image invites contemplation of the ordinary and the way light defines the rhythm of city life when it is at rest.

Technique & Style

Executed with careful modulation of light and shadow, the oil medium allows Hopper to convey the soft glow of early daylight against the darker storefronts. The restrained palette and simplified forms reflect the influence of the Ash Can School, while the precise brushwork underscores the artist’s interest in the interplay between interior and exterior spaces.

History & Provenance

Edward Hopper, a prominent figure in early twentieth‑century American art, painted the work after his studies at the New York School of Art under William Merritt Chase and Robert Henri. Since its creation, the canvas has remained in public hands, entering the Whitney Museum’s collection where it is displayed as part of the institution’s focus on American modernism.

Context

Early Sunday Morning belongs to a series of Hopper’s works that explore solitary moments within the modern city. The painting reflects broader trends of the 1930s, when artists turned toward everyday scenes to document the changing urban landscape, and it exemplifies Hopper’s lifelong preoccupation with the quiet, unpopulated corners of American life.