“Rain, Steam and Speed – The Great Western Railway” by J.M.W. Turner in 1844

This is a painting completed in England during the boom of the Industrial Revolution. It now resides in the National Gallery in London. J.M.W. Turner was by craft a landscape painter and up until the Industrial Revolution was known for painting beautiful landscapes of nature (much like John Constable’s “Hay Wain” and “The Corn Field”), according to Wikipedia and Simon Gilliat. But when the industrial revolution came along and travel was revolutionized for millions, Turner welcomed this change. Having travelled in stagecoaches and horse-drawn carriages as he crossed the country, this new and more comfortable way of travel was a welcome relief. Interesting, that we learn in school and through society that the Industrial Revolution was devastating (it solidified the class system brought misery to many lower-class workers who toiled for hours in mills and factories) and yet one of the most famous and influential artists of the time was in favor of this upheaval (c.f. fulcrumgallery.com).
Everything in this painting represents the glory of the industrial revolution. The locomotive which is depicted has an uncanny resemblance to that of the most advanced train of the day: the “Firefly Class” (according to fulcrumgallery.com). Furthermore, the bridge depicted is grand and majestic, and when we look to the left of the painting we see another bridge standing tall. The bridge which is being traversed is said to be the Thames crossing at Maidenhead, England. At the time, this bridge was a feat of engineering and an indispensable addition to the Great Western Railway. 

Although one would start to assume that this whole painting is praising the advances accomplished in the late 1800s, there is one crucial component of this painting which cannot be overlooked, however elusive. It is the rabbit. If we look at the center-right of the painting, we see a rabbit bounding away from the noisy train and into the river. I think this is a criticism of the Industrial Revolution. Turner is saying “Look at this bridge, isn’t it marvelous, but look, this rabbit’s life has been changed forever, and ruined forever” (the rabbit being a metaphor for nature in general)