“Stop and observe this etching of a cat boat, where the crisp lines and stark contrasts capture a moment of solitary activity on the water, inviting reflection on the quiet beauty of maritime life.”
This etching, "Cat Boat," captures a moment of quiet industry on the water. A lone figure stands near the bow of a small sailboat, seemingly engaged in some task, while a second boat, its sail furled, drifts in the background. The scene is rendered with a stark clarity, typical of etchings, where the interplay of light and shadow defines the forms and textures. The water, etched with parallel lines, suggests gentle movement, reflecting the boats and the subtle light from above. This work, created in 1922, shows a fascination with the maritime world, a recurring theme in American art of the period, reflecting a connection to coastal life and the solitary beauty of the sea.
- Artist
- Edward Hopper
- Date
- 1922
- Medium
- Etching
- Location
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Dimensions
- Plate: 7 13/16 x 9 13/16 in. (19.9 x 25 cm)
- Collection
- Drawings and Prints
- Credit line
- Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1925
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The single figure at the front of the boat, stooping over something unseen.
The way the etched lines create the illusion of rippling water.
The furled sail on the boat in the background, a study in quietude.
The distinct shadows cast by the boats on the water's surface.
Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Cat Boat — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Edward Hopper
1882–1967 · United StatesPainter of 'Nighthawks' who captured the isolation and drama of modern American life in luminous, cinematic scenes.
Further Works by Hopper
Nighthawks
1942 · Art Institute of Chicago
Night on the El Train
1918 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Train and Bathers
1920 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
House Tops
1921 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Cat Boat
1922 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Locomotive
1923 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Second Story Sunlight
1960 · Whitney Museum of American Art
More works to explore
Beyond Hopper: works from the same years.
Same era · 1900s–1930s
Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray
Piet Mondrian · 1921 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1900s–1930s
Interior with painter
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1921 · Buchheim Museum of Imagination
Same era · 1900s–1930s
Memories of the Past
Ivan Puni · 1927 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1900s–1930s
American Gothic
Okada Saburosuke · 1930 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1900s–1930s
Bull's Head
Mikhail Larionov · 1913 · Tretyakov Gallery
Same era · 1900s–1930s
The Firmament Above the Temple
Paul Klee · 1922 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1900s–1930s
The Fiddler
Norman Rockwell · 1921 · Brandywine Museum of Art
Same era · 1900s–1930s
The Praying Jew
Marc Chagall · 1923 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1900s–1930s
Woman before an Aquarium
Henri Matisse · 1921 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1900s–1930s
Dada Gauguin
Max Ernst · 1920 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1900s–1930s
Man and Trees, Florida
John Singer Sargent · 1917 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1900s–1930s
Seated Woman, Back View
Egon Schiele · 1917 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
