Michigan Avenue at the Foot of Madison Street, Chicago, with a view of the Illinois Central Station in the Year 1864 c. 1926

Raoul Varin created this print of Michigan Avenue in Chicago in 1864 using watercolor, gouache, and graphite. The composition divides into distinct horizontal layers: the detailed foreground of boats and figures, the water with scattered sailboats, and the background of the Illinois Central Station under a vast sky. The subdued palette of grays and browns, punctuated by pastel shades of clothing, evokes a serene atmosphere, yet the scene pulses with latent energy. The figures, rendered with meticulous detail, populate the foreground, their placement guiding our gaze towards the architectural elements in the distance. The linear perspective directs the eye along the pier and towards the station, creating a sense of depth. Varin masterfully juxtaposes leisure and progress, embedding signs of modernity within a picturesque landscape. This approach reflects the period’s interest in harmonizing industrial development with established aesthetic conventions, subtly challenging viewers to reconsider their relationship to urban and environmental change. Note the balance between naturalistic observation and idealized composition which embodies the tensions of a society undergoing rapid transformation.