Downtown Local

An imaginative snapshot of early public rail transportation juxtaposed with daily life in New York City, this painting features a small, early steam locomotive used in local rail systems during the late 19th to early 20th century. Different people from urban society wait to board the train: working-class people, middle-class women, and well-to-do parents keeping a watchful eye on their children. Paul uses a rich palette to differentiate the social classes and their interactions, subtly commenting on the roles and relationships that defined the era. The lamppost suggests the modernization of public spaces, and the growth of urban infrastructure alongside technological advances in transportation.