At the Railway Station c. 1874

"At the Railway Station" by Alfred Stevens, painted circa 1874, portrays a woman seated in a red velvet chair at a railway station, waiting. Her elegant attire and accessories suggest a woman of means, while the melancholy air she exudes implies the emotional weight of travel and separation. Stevens was known for his intimate and often melancholic depictions of fashionable society, frequently featuring elegant figures in quiet moments of contemplation. This piece, capturing a fleeting moment in a bustling Victorian setting, speaks to the universal emotions of travel and longing.