Gare Saint-Lazare

Claude Monet painted the dramatic view of the Gare Saint-Lazare train station in 1877. Steam and smoke fill the glass-roofed station, partially obscuring the locomotives and creating an atmospheric veil of blues and grays. It belongs to a series Monet made of this modern Parisian landmark.

Monet received special permission to set up his easel inside the station, and reportedly asked the stationmaster to delay trains so he could capture specific steam effects. This embrace of modern industrial subjects was typical of Impressionist painters who sought to depict contemporary life. The way light filters through steam demonstrates Monet's lifelong fascination with atmospheric effects.