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Description: | Coloured engraving . William Powell Frith’s painting ‘The Railway Station’ was one of the best-known images of 19th-century Britain. It represents Paddington Station, filled with incidental details of everyday life. Frith’s original work is now in the collection of Royal Holloway College, part of the University of London. It was first exhibited in 1862 in the London gallery of the dealer Louis Victor Flatow, who paid Frith the outstanding sum of £5,250 for the painting and rights of exhibition and reproduction. The work was shown for seven weeks, during which time it attracted more than 21,000 visitors.
Frith crammed ‘The Railway Station’ with vignettes of everyday life, from school boys preparing to leave London for a new term, to a bridal party bidding goodbye to the newly-wed couple. He has also included portraits of recognisable individuals, including Mr Brett and Mr Haydon, two well-known detectives of the time, shown apprehending a man about to get onto a train. The figure talking to the engine driver in the distance is said to be a portrait of art dealer Flatow. Prints after the picture, engraved by Francis Holl, made the image widely available. | Subjects: | genre walking stick railway station military uniform steam train 19th century costume handcuffs cricket bat girl topography woman jar bonnet train baby crowd man kissing suitcase porter railway dress top hat basket case dog boy | Temporal: | 1866 | Source: | Government Art Collection | Creator: | William Powell Frith (Artist) | Identifier: | http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/work.aspx?... | Go to resource |
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