The Express Train 1859

Editor: Alright, next up is "The Express Train," a drawing/print by Charles Parsons from 1859. The whole scene feels like a grand announcement of progress, but the colors are surprisingly muted, like a half-remembered dream of the industrial revolution. What do you see in this piece that maybe I'm missing? Curator: Muted dream, indeed! It feels less like a celebration of progress, and more like… a slightly anxious portrait of it. Notice how the train, despite being the focal point, isn't bursting with color. Instead, it’s grounded by the landscape, almost as if nature is reluctantly yielding to its presence. Almost a haunting beauty, no? What sort of story is Parsons trying to capture, do you think? Editor: Hmm, a haunting beauty... I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess the way the train sort of cuts through the landscape could be seen as a bit unsettling. It makes me think about how quickly things were changing then. It's like, is the artist excited, or wary? Curator: Exactly! Perhaps Parsons felt a tension, that bittersweet moment of knowing something transformative is upon you. Also, trains at that time were more than just a faster way to travel; they connected regions, sped up communication and, let's not forget, facilitated trade and colonization. How do you reconcile the landscape with this piece being an *express* train? Editor: That’s a good point – there's this tranquil, almost classical landscape, juxtaposed against this symbol of modernity and speed. It feels conflicted, like it’s pulled in two different directions. The way the sky blends with the locomotive fumes, kind of says, “Look what’s coming!”. Curator: A premonition wrapped in muted colors! And maybe that’s the genius – Parsons isn't dictating a single interpretation but inviting us to sit with the complexity of progress. It’s history, isn't it? Never as simple as we like to imagine. I think my favorite element now is this underpass the train rolls past, making the old, literally underpassed, by the new. What a piece. Editor: I'm glad we looked at it together – I definitely see it with fresh eyes now. Thanks!