The Railway

Édouard Manet

The Railway

The Railway, painted by Édouard Manet in 1873, is a significant work associated with the Realism art movement. It depicts a scene at the Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris, showcasing a modern railway platform with passengers waiting for their trains. The painting captures the industrialization and urbanization of the time, portraying everyday life in a rapidly changing society. Manet's deliberate focus on ordinary subjects and his rejection of idealized depictions align with the principles of Realism. The Railway is regarded as a pioneering work that challenged traditional artistic norms and emphasized the portrayal of contemporary life in all its realistic and unfiltered aspects.