Gare Saint-Lazare

Claude Monet’s Gare Saint-Lazare, painted in 1877, is part of a series depicting the bustling Saint-Lazare train station in Paris. This painting captures the industrial energy of the station, with its towering iron structure, billowing steam from the locomotives, and the interplay of light through the glass roof. Monet’s brushwork is loose and expressive, with soft, almost abstract renderings of the trains and figures, emphasizing the movement and atmosphere over precise detail. The smoke and steam blur the outlines of the trains and platforms, creating a dynamic, atmospheric scene that explores the contrast between modernity and the ever-changing effects of light. This work reflects Monet's interest in urban landscapes and industrialization, marking a shift from his earlier, more rural subjects.