Saint-Lazare Station, Exterior View 1887

Claude Monet captured the Saint-Lazare Station in a series of paintings during the late 19th century, a period defined by rapid industrialization and urbanization. Monet, deeply rooted in his time, wasn't just painting a train station; he was capturing the zeitgeist of an era marked by progress, but also by profound social and environmental changes. The billowing steam, a central motif, symbolizes both the power of industry and the pollution that came with it. What does it mean to take something generally thought of as grimy and elevate it to art? Monet invites us to reconsider the relationship between modernity, beauty, and the human condition. Monet's Saint-Lazare series holds a mirror to society, reflecting its aspirations, anxieties, and the complex interplay between technological advancement and its human cost.