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This pair of paintings, copies of larger originals, is Abraham Solomon’s earliest attempt at representing scenes from modern life after more than a decade of focusing on historical and literary subjects. Although he used suitable quotations from Shakespeare as subtitles for both pictures, these works reflect the social impact of new mass transit in the Victorian era. The railroad network expanded at a dramatic rate throughout the nineteenth century, becoming accessible to individuals at varying economic levels. Here, an unexpected romance begins in the close quarters of the first-class coach, where a young woman and a naval officer engage in a flirtation mediated by a young woman’s father or guardian. Meanwhile, in the second-class coach, the signs posted inside suggest that the young sailor at the center is about to leave his widowed mother to emigrate and seek a new life in Australia.

Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2016