Third Rail Shoe 1904

This cyanotype called Third Rail Shoe was made by an anonymous artist and it's a lovely, deep Prussian blue. I can only imagine the artist experimenting with new techniques, soaking the paper, exposing it to the light, and washing the chemicals away to reveal the image, like some kind of slow magic. The whole thing has the feeling of an x-ray, revealing the intricate details of this mechanical object. What was the artist thinking about? Were they fascinated by the technology of the train? Or maybe they just saw the beauty in the complex shapes and lines. Look at the circular forms, the bolts and brackets, the rhythmic pattern of the wooden boards. It’s like a secret world hidden beneath the surface, speaking in a language of gears and wheels. It is a reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places, and that every artist is in dialogue with those who came before and those who will follow. Each is inspired to see things anew.