Name: Train Tracks (2012 Portfolio)
Brand: Bob Dylan
Rating: 5 (236 reviews)

Track auction value trend

The value of Bob Dylan’s Train Tracks (2012 Portfolio) (signed) is estimated to be worth between £7,000 and £10,500. This Giclée print, created in 2012, has shown consistent value growth, with an average annual growth rate of 8%. This work has sold 3 times at auction since its initial sale on 8th December 2022. In the last 12 months, the average selling price was £7,000, with the hammer price in the last five years ranging from £5,700 on 8th December 2022 to £10,700 on 16th February 2023. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 295.

Meaning & Analysis

Train Tracks (2012 Portfolio) by Bob Dylan is a series of four signed prints, the composition of which Dylan has revisited throughout his artistic career. This portfolio captures the timeless image of train tracks stretching into the horizon at four different times of day or year. The prints are part of his broader exploration of American landscapes, rendered in vivid colours and expressive brushstrokes, characteristic of his artistic style.

read more about Train Tracks

Bob Dylan's Train Tracks (2012 Portfolio) presents a striking visual narrative through its use of bold contrasting colours. The series explores the theme of journey and change across four different times or moods, a reflection of Dylan's enduring fascination with travel and American iconography, but also how they relate to the personal stories of individuals. Each print in the portfolio offers a different atmospheric condition - ranging from the fiery reds of a sunset to the cool blues of twilight - demonstrating Dylan's adeptness with colour to evoke mood and emotion. His technique combines elements of Impressionism and Expressionism, with loose brushwork and vibrant hues creating a sense of movement and fluidity.

This portfolio is also an extension of Dylan's fascination with railroads as a metaphor for journey, change, and the American experience, using colour and atmosphere to evoke the emotional resonance of travel and transition - a theme that appears in much of his musical work, too. The train tracks, a symbol of transition and the passage of time, resonate with the historical context of American expansion and exploration, whilst the recurring motif ties the visual work directly to Dylan's musical narratives about movement and the passage of time.