1869 Railroad changes Everything in Art

The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 didn’t just connect a nation—it transformed how artists saw the world. As steam engines cut through vast landscapes, they introduced speed, industry, and new perspectives that challenged traditional art. This moment marked a shift from romanticized wilderness to a dynamic fusion of nature and technology.

In this piece, the collision of classical art, frontier life, and industrial power reflects how the railroad reshaped visual storytelling—bringing movement, modernity, and a new American identity into art.

Free Art Festival Guide: https://mailchi.mp/aca15a65f111/free-festival-art-guide

Artist: David Bornancin

Media: Acrylic Paintings

Style: Abstracts and Landscapes

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Transcript

Part One 1869

Part Two 1869

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello folks. A number of people have been asking me about some of my other 3D creations and designs. And behind me is uh a historical piece. Once again, I love history and I love locations around the United States. And uh it intrigued me because this is the Transcontinental Railroad. Uh, I don't know how many people know, uh, but this was the first interconnection between parts of the United States that the railroad uh started building and connecting to connect the world. Um and in 1869, uh Central Pacific and Union Pacific started building the railroad that connected, I believe uh it started somewhere in Nebraska and ended up in uh California. So uh it's roughly 1912 miles long, and uh it was a major feat in those days, back in those days in the 1800s. So the piece behind me we'll get into right now. So this is a true 3D um modeled uh multimedia uh creation and design and wall art, and it has uh a number of elements that give it that 3D effect. Uh, it uses a lot of different types of material: wood, metal, uh, magnets, steel, uh uh screws and bolts, and it even has the imaging of a 3D train that represents an intercontinental uh railroad traveling. So uh just wanted to show this to you because, as you can see, you can see the different paint patterns that are used here, and the the steel, the metal that's sitting here, and different paint combinations, and even on the surface here, it has some of the burnt, it's it's not only paint, but it's using this burnt technique where you're actually burning some of the wood to get that deep dark uh colors uh to come through, and you can see the route on this that shows the two Union Pacific and Pacific Railroads as they build the railroads out and connect, and then um for special effects, even have the train come alive. So it makes for an incredible law piece, and it makes the story come alive.