Created during his late period at his Cape Cod summer home and studio in South Truro, Massachusetts, the painting was completed just four years prior to his death at the age of 84.

The work depicts a room, seemingly empty, illuminated by sunlight coming through a window, casting light and shadows on the walls and floor.

Hopper, often reticent about discussing the meaning of his art, suggested earlier in his career that his artworks simultaneously carry unintended, unconscious ideas, as well as deliberate expressions of his personal vision.

Neuroscientists believe that the painting reveals limitations of the visual processing system that allow artists to effectively ignore details like shadows, while continuing to maintain a convincing illusion of reality in spite of these missing elements.

Tired of illustrating figures required for his paid work, he once famously remarked, "What I wanted to do was to paint sunlight on the side of a house.

[6] Art critic Brian O'Doherty (1928–2022) and photographer Hans Namuth (1915–1990)[4] documented the initial preparation and creation of the work at Hopper's Cape Cod summer home and studio in South Truro, Massachusetts.

In one letter, Hopper said he thought that art is an "expression of the subconscious",[12] and he believed that artists were unaware or unconscious of the most important aspects of their work.

"[12] Art historian Katharine Kuh notes that Hopper refused to analyze his late work, believing that meaning was lost by talking about it.

As such an influence, Lane pointed to Edgar Degas, describing Hopper's style as more of a symbolist, with a composition that is generalized rather than specific.

"[18] In this example, Livingstone shows how Hopper fails to paint a shadow on the wall from the sunlight falling through the middle check rail of the window.

[12] Canadian indie rock band The Weakerthans wrote the song "Sun in an Empty Room" about the painting, publishing it on their fourth album, Reunion Tour (2007).

Filmmaker Mathieu Amalric created an entire short film based on the painting, titled Next to Last (Autumn 63) (2012), for the European public service channel Arte, part of a larger series called Hopper Stories.

[20] Filmmaker Gustav Deutsch brings the painting to life in the context of American history in his film Shirley: Visions of Reality (2013).