SUMMERTIME AND SPRING RAIN Upon first sight, it appears that John Sloan’s Spring Rain and Edward Hopper’s Summertime only common characteristic is that they are both oil paintings on canvas. Spring Rain, from the school of Impressionistic art, was painted in 1912. Summertime, which possesses a simplified, schematic style, was created over thirty years later, in 1943. Therefore, there are extreme differences in the two artists’ technique and style. However, despite these differences, the two painters’ works embody the same theme: They are both scenes of urban realism characterized by isolation and loneliness. John Sloan’s painting depicts a dismal view of municipal life. The painting’s gloominess is achieved most effectively through Sloan’s use of color. He uses deep shades of purple with the contrasting color green in the background. This color scheme provides an eerie fog throughout the painting. The woman’s clothing also accentuates the dark tone of Spring Rain. She is dressed entirely in black. This signifies that her personality is somber and perhaps conservative. However, it is interesting that the woman is wearing red stockings. The fact that Sloan chose such a bold color suggests that he wished to show a slightly daring side of the woman’s personality. Hopper, on the other hand, uses a much lighter color scheme. However, the lightness does not diminish the painting’s melancholy mood. Light gray, seen in the building’s face and the sidewalk, prominently dominates the scene. Other than gray, there is little color in Summertime; however, a distinct color pattern continues through the painting. Pale yellow can be detected in the window shades, in the floor on the staircase and in the woman’s hat. In order to contrast the yellow, Hopper uses a very light, whitish blue in the curtains and in the woman’s dress. The fact that the woman̵...
