How does The Train in the Snow elucidate its Background?
With the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, Monet and his newly wedded wife Camille fled to England for fear of Monet's military conscription. Returning to France in late 1871, the couple settled in Argenteuil along the Seine.: 5  While many of Monet's paintings of trains come from the Gare St. Lazare Station, The Train in the Snow represents Argenteuil station, which was the artist's "commuter stop." At the time of Monet's residence, Argenteuil was located in a suburban section of France, connected by railway to Paris, Le Havre, and Rouen; trains and engines were in constant view at Argenteuil station because of their storage or redirection there.
Throughout the winter of 1874-1875, Monet continuously painted snow scenes in and around his home at Argenteuil. Fascinated by the trains traveling through his local station on their way to Paris, the artist worked on his paintings while standing on the station platform. Out of his many paintings of trains, Monet seems to have only painted three scenes from 1875-1876 that take place in the snow, including this particular painting.
Franco-Prussian War Seine Camille Argenteuil