Girl at a Sewing Machine (by Edward Hopper) Card

This design features a painting the American realist artist Edward Hopper (1882–1967). It is a quiet yet evocative depiction of solitude and introspection, themes that are often central to Hopper's work. The painting captures a young woman, the titular girl, sitting at a sewing machine, absorbed in her task. Hopper's distinctive style, chraacterised by his use of light, shadow and everyday scenes, is evident in this early work. The scene is set in a modest, sunlit room, with the girl positioned near a large window. The light streaming through the window is a key element of the painting, casting a warm glow over the room and illuminating the girl's figure. This light creates a strong contrast with the darker interior, emphasizing the isolation of the scene. The girl's face is partially obscured as she focuses intently on her sewing, her expression unreadable, which adds to the sense of introspection and solitude. She is wearing a long white dress and she has flowing brown hair. The sewing machine, an essential tool of domestic life at the time, is rendered with precise detail, symbolising the routine and often monotonous tasks of daily life. The girl’s posture, slightly hunched over her work, suggests concentration but also hints at the quiet, repetitive nature of her activity. The window, a recurring motif in Hopper's work, serves as a connection between the interior world of the girl and the exterior world outside. The original artwork was painted by Edward Hopper in 1921.