Throughout the 1920s and 30s, Queensland artists and their southern contemporaries were increasingly drawn to images of modern life. Vida Lahey painted the scenes of industry that she observed in and around Brisbane, such as the Grey Street Bridge under construction.

Sultry noon [Central Station, Brisbane] is a fine example of the light-filled vistas she captured at this time, with the arcs of the terminal, train tracks and cloud formations creating dynamism within the composition. The developing city skyline is featured in the left middle distance and includes the station clock tower, the Brisbane Fire Brigade Station bell tower (demolished in 1950), the People’s Palace tower, the recently opened City Hall Clock Tower, and the Canberra Hotel (demolished in 1987). The view to the right depicts the old Trades Hall (demolished in 1967) and the Brisbane Gymnasium, which sat above the high rock cutting to the west of King Edward Park and Jacob’s Ladder and was demolished in 1938 as part of the Wickham Park redevelopment.

Lahey’s painting was much acclaimed when it was exhibited in October 1932, with the art critic for Melbourne’s Age describing the artwork as ‘a wonderfully sound and carefully considered study of tone values in full sunlight’.