Édouard Manet's 1873 Painting 'The Railway' and Its Journey to the National Gallery of Art

Édouard Manet's artwork 'The Railway,' created in 1873, showcases Victorine Meurent, who also modeled for 'Olympia' and 'Luncheon on the Grass,' alongside Alphonse Hirsch's daughter. In the painting, Meurent is dressed in a navy gown and a dark hat, holding a puppy, while a girl in white observes a passing train. Manet crafted this piece from his garden on Rue de Saint-Pétersbourg, where he had been living since July 1872. The composition features contemporary architecture and the Pont de l'Europe. Although it was presented at the Paris Salon of 1874 and faced critical reception, it was sold to Jean-Baptiste Faure, then to Paul Durand-Ruel in 1881, before being acquired by Henry Osborne Havemeyer in 1898. It was donated to the National Gallery of Art in 1956, reflecting Impressionist elements.