Rain, Steam and Speed

J.M.W. Turner exhibited this painting at the Royal Academy in 1844, showing a steam locomotive hurtling across Maidenhead Railway Bridge in a rainstorm. The train emerges from golden mist, its speed suggested by blurred forms and dynamic composition. Turner captured the power of new technology meeting the forces of nature.

The bridge was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and completed in 1839. Its two great arches, each spanning 128 feet, were the largest and flattest brick arches ever built. Turner painted the view looking east toward London, with the Thames flowing beneath and rain slanting across the scene.

A hare running along the track ahead of the train was a late addition, now nearly invisible as the paint has become transparent with age. The painting hangs at the National Gallery in London, a landmark in the representation of modern life.