Zittende figuren in wachtruimte van een station 1879

Edmond Ramus created this print, "Sitting figures in the waiting room of a station," during a period of rapid industrialization and social change. Ramus was working in a time when increased mobility and urbanization redefined social interactions and class structures. Here, the figures in the waiting room offer a glimpse into the varied experiences of travel, as well as gender dynamics in public spaces. Note the careful separation between the figures, each lost in their own thoughts, indicative of the emerging sense of individualism within the collective experience of travel. The women, in particular, are depicted with a sense of reserve, perhaps reflecting the social constraints placed upon them in the public sphere. Ramus captures a transient moment, filled with quiet anticipation and untold stories, reflecting the complexities of identity and interaction in an era defined by progress and change.