The artwork titled “Railroad Crossing” was painted by Edward Hopper in 1926 and is associated with the New Realism movement. It can be identified as a cityscape and, as of the last known record, it is part of a private collection.
The painting portrays a desolate suburban or rural scene with a striking sense of stillness and isolation. There are no people visible in the image, which is typical of some of Hopper’s works that often convey solitude or emptiness. The dominant elements in the composition are the large, leafy trees that cast shadows over the scene, and beneath them, a simple railroad crossing gate. In the background, we see two small buildings that look like classic American houses with peaked roofs, suggesting this scene may be set somewhere in the United States. The tracks themselves are depicted in a straightforward manner, cutting through the middle of the scene and extending beyond the frame, leading the viewer’s eye to imagine where they might go. The painting uses a somewhat muted palette, with the whites, greys, and dark greens adding to the feeling of quietness and perhaps a touch of melancholy.
