Unidentified Railway Station on Dakar-saint-louis Line 1889

This engraving by Edouard Riou depicts an unidentified railway station on the Dakar-Saint-Louis line. The picture is made using the traditional method of carving lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed onto paper. This process allows for intricate details and sharp contrasts, perfectly capturing the industrialized aesthetic of the railway. Notice how the solid, dark locomotive and the precisely rendered tracks contrast with the softer, organic forms of the landscape and the people gathered nearby. The image captures a moment of significant technological advancement, yet also hints at the labor and resources involved in creating this infrastructure. The railway itself, built with iron and fueled by coal, represents a large-scale industrial project, a symbol of progress and colonialism. The detailed depiction of the locomotive, the station, and even the clothing of the figures, all point to the complex social and economic forces at play during this period. This image connects the tradition of printmaking to the broader narrative of industrialization and its impact on societies.