Industrial Revolution (Art & Design)

(1750 - Present)

This period started in Britain and it was a very important period for the world which includes art, which captured very important moments through paintings. In this period there was created new ideas, new technological inventions (such as new machines), and mass production. In a few words this period was a huge economical change. 

A new easier and faster life was created, but only for the workers and wealthy people. A lot of new factories had stared. There were more new jobs, but this was only in the cities. There was a huge amount of new railways and canals built at that time in Britain. There was a quick increase in scientific and technological advances. One can say that it was only the beginning of our daily busy life we are still living today.

But there was a dark side in this period which was that village people were poor and jobless because only people living in the city could have a job. These poor people were “living like animals or worse”. Poor people had diseases which were spread also on children and only 50% of them has the chance to live till 5 years of age.

The revolution spread around Europe and the “French King had been disposed”. “There were violent uprising from Nepal to Prague”.

 It was on the 10^th April 1848, that a huge political rally was held. There was the British Museum which was “identified as the key target”. But England was ready and fully armed. 20,000 protestors were gathered in a huge square but they were faced with 90,000 policemen, and then there was an agreement to keep peace and the demonstrators left the place immediately. 

Applicants for Admission to a Casual Ward – by Luke Fildes.

(oil canvas)

This painting has a strong message which is capturing one cold night on the streets of London in winter. It is showing sadness, fear, poorness, homeless, jobless people and misery. The artist wanted to give importance on the poor and you will quickly notice that. Even the colour of the painting is very dark as if to show this misery. These people in the painting are waiting to enter the Victorian Institution. The main focused character in this painting is the lady on the left who is holding a child in her arms and another child is besides her grabbing her clothes as if to not get lost from his mother. From this painting we can see that this mother is very sad and she might be a widow who is now giving her children the help and love they need.

On the other side of the painting there are a family leaning against the wall, with the father holding one of their children and their mother is keeping them close with them, which is showing unity in their family in this very difficult moment.

Then there are those two gentlemen behind the lady with the two children, who look like they are discussing something, as you can see they are different from the rest because they are rich people which could be noticed from their clothes. The rest of the other people are all sad and poor. All these poor people weren’t important for the Victorians so they didn’t want to help them and they ignored their issues. 

The Crystal Palace

The crystal Palace was built in the Industrial Revolution, its original place was Hyde Park, London, England. The designer who designed the magnificent Crystal Palace was Joseph Paxton. Prince Albert (husband of Queen Victoria of Britain) helped to plan the London exhibition of 1851. 

This building was made out of wood, iron and glass; it was like a huge green house cathedral which then nicknamed it as the Crystal Palace. The glass and iron used for the crystal palace was manufactured in the Midlands and the North, England. It was built for The Great Exhibition of 1851.The purpose of the great exhibition is to bring together exhibitions from different countries around the world. At these exhibitions people saw a huge difference between the European and American designs. The area for the exhibitions of the Crystal Palace was 990,000 square feet and its interior height was 128 feet.  And it attracted thousands and millions of visitors.

Then the Crystal palace moved to Sydenham Hill a better place than the original. It stood in this area from 1854 and was destroyed by fire in 1936.

This huge building was great and magnificent architecture and it is a pity that they didn't build it again.

Bibliography:

Jeremy Paxman, 2011, The Viçtοrians (2009) Ε01 Ρainting the Tοwn, [video online], Available at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmP9KL7Io9A [Accessed 23 March 2014].

Khanacademy, n.d., 1848-1907 Industrial Revolution II, [online] Available at https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-history/art-history-1848-1907-industrial-revolution-ii [Accessed 23 March 2014].

Princeton, n.d., The Crystal Palace. [online] http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/The_Crystal_Palace.html [Accessed 23 March 2014].

Architecture.com, n.d., The Crystal Palace, [online] http://www.architecture.com/howwebuiltbritain/historicalperiods/victorian/leisureandpleasure/thecrystalpalace.aspx#.U0_i1_mSzGE [Accessed 23 March].