Édouard Manet: The Railway Poster

The Railway, widely known as Gare Saint-Lazare, is an 1873 painting by Édouard Manet. It is the last painting by Manet of his favourite model, the fellow painter Victorine Meurent. Meurent is depicted sitting to the left side of the frame, in front of an iron fence near the Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris. The pensive subject is wearing a dark hat and sombre deep blue dress with white details, and is looking towards the viewer, while a sleeping puppy, a fan, and an open book rest in her lap. Next to her is a little girl, modelled by the daughter of Manet's neighbour Alphonse Hirsch, watching through the railings as a train passes beneath them. The black band in the girl's hair echoes the black band around the neck of the woman. The only evidence of the train is its white cloud of steam. Modern apartment buildings can be seen in the background, including the house on the Rue de Saint-Pétersbourg, near the Place de l'Europe, where Manet had rented a studio since July 1872, and also a signal box and the Pont de l'Europe. This would be a great print for anyone in the family. The railroad theme will appeal to any rail fans, while the female subjects will appeal to women and children. and the pleasant, neutral colours would be appropriate for almost any room.