-
Artworks
Jack Beder Polish / Canadian, 1910-1987
In The Train, 1943oil on board22 x 18 insigned bottom leftCurrency:Further images
The composition presents a woman seated inside a train carriage, with red hair and a stylish hat, a detail that not only anchors the work in the 1940s but also...The composition presents a woman seated inside a train carriage, with red hair and a stylish hat, a detail that not only anchors the work in the 1940s but also reflects Beder’s attention to social identity. The hat, typical of wartime fashion, serves as a visual time stamp. During this period, hats were one of the few expressive garments available to women, giving them a sense of identity during widespread material rationing due to World War II.
The painting's setting within a train carriage resonates with the significance of rail travel in Montreal during the 1940s. Trains were a primary mode of transportation, connecting various parts of the city and beyond. The era saw the opening of Montreal Central Station in 1943, consolidating multiple railway terminals and symbolizing the city's modernization efforts.
Painted in oil on board, the work measures 22 by 18 inches and is signed in the bottom left corner. It was acquired directly from the artist’s estate and is catalogued as inventory #375. The piece is featured on page 67 of Jack Beder: Life and Art in Canada (2025), a publication by Rookleys Canadian Art Gallery, and was exhibited at Concordia University in Montreal. This painting was featured in the Jack Beder: Life and Art in Canada exhibition at Rookleys Canadian Art Gallery.
Provenance
- acquired directly from estate
- Beder inventory #375Exhibitions
- Concordia University, Montreal, cat. 73
Literature
- on page 67 of "Jack Beder: Life and Art in Canada", 2025