What you are looking at
Late at night, three customers and a counterman sit inside a brightly lit corner diner with a huge curved window. There is no door visible from the street, and the empty sidewalks outside make the diner feel like an island.
Why it is famous
Hopper said it was suggested by a restaurant on New York's Greenwich Avenue where two streets meet. He finished it in early 1942 and the Art Institute bought it the same year. It became a defining image of city loneliness.
How big is Nighthawks?
Nighthawks measures 84.1 × 152.4 cm (33.1 × 60.0 in), without its frame. Its surface is about 3 times the area of the Mona Lisa.
Compare it with other paintings
Where to see it
It is in the Art Institute of Chicago's American art galleries.
Museums move and lend paintings. Check the museum's website before you travel to see one work. See all famous paintings in Chicago.
Also at the Art Institute of Chicago
Paris Street; Rainy DayGustave Caillebotte, 1877 Chicago
The Old GuitaristPablo Picasso, 1903 to 1904 Chicago
American GothicGrant Wood, 1930 ChicagoFrequently asked questions
Who painted Nighthawks?
Edward Hopper painted Nighthawks in 1942.
Where is Nighthawks?
Nighthawks is in the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, United States. (Gallery 262.)
How big is Nighthawks?
84.1 × 152.4 cm (33.1 × 60.0 in). Its surface is about 3 times the area of the Mona Lisa.
What is Nighthawks made with?
Oil on canvas.
Sources: Art Institute of Chicago, "Nighthawks"; Wikidata Q83872; Wikipedia, "Nighthawks". Checked October 17, 2026. How we check.