Multiple Modernities

Having made its appearance at the end of the 18th century in England, the Industrial Revolution shaped a new world driven by faith in progress and the benefits of modernity. The development of the railways and steamboat accelerated the movement of people and goods and stimulated interaction between civilisations that, in turn, inspired European artists and spawned movements like Japonisme, Orientalism and the Nabis. Beginning in 1851, World’s Fairs – held in such cities as Paris, London, New York, Barcelona, Vienna, Milan and Melbourne – celebrated technological innovations and the applied arts, as well as productions from other parts of the globe, while also displaying the power – including colonial – of the nations that organised them. A product of technological progress, photography developed into a medium of major importance. By capturing real images and eliminating distance, it gave viewers the feeling that they were taking possession of the world, reshaped representation and transformed perception.