Sun in an Empty Room

Sun in an Empty Room
Year	1963
Dimensions	73 cm (29 in) × 100.3 cm (39.5 in)
Location	Private collection Washington, D.C.[1]
[edit on Wikidata]

Sun in an Empty Room is a 1963 painting by American realist Edward Hopper (1882–1967). Created during his late period at his Cape Cod summer home and studio in South Truro, Massachusetts, the painting was completed just four years prior to his death at the age of 84. The work depicts a room, seemingly empty, illuminated by sunlight coming through a window, casting light and shadows on the walls and floor. Leaves on a tree or bush can be seen just outside the window.

Hopper, often reticent about discussing the meaning of his art, suggested earlier in his career that his artworks simultaneously carry unintended, unconscious ideas, as well as deliberate expressions of his personal vision. Critics believe Sun in an Empty Room to be his most autobiographical work. The painting has been variously associated with regionalism, the American Scene, symbolism, and even abstract art. Nevertheless, Hopper rejected all such labels.

Neuroscientists believe that the painting reveals limitations of the visual processing system that allow artists to effectively ignore details like shadows, while continuing to maintain a convincing illusion of reality in spite of these missing elements. Beyond the visual arts, the painting inspired others to draw upon its imagery in literature, music, and film.