The Age of Industrialisation

Question 1

describe the ‘dawn of the century’

Answer 1

In 1900, a popular music publisher E.T. Paull produced a music
book that had a picture on the cover page announcing the ‘Dawn
of the Century’ (Fig. 1). As you can see from the illustration, at the
centre of the picture is a goddess-like figure, the angel of progress,
bearing the flag of the new century. She is gently perched on a wheel
with wings, symbolising time. Her flight is taking her into the future.
Floating about, behind her, are the signs of progress: railway, camera,
machines, printing press and factory.

Question 2

describe the picture which appeared on the pages of a trade magazine a 100 years ago?

Answer 2

This glorification of machines and technology is even more marked
in a picture which appeared on the pages of a trade magazine over
a hundred years ago (Fig. 2). It shows two magicians. The one at the
top is Aladdin from the Orient who built a beautiful palace with hismagic lamp. The one at the bottom is the modern mechanic, who
with his modern tools weaves a new magic: builds bridges, ships,
towers and high-rise buildings. Aladdin is shown as representing the
East and the past, the mechanic stands for the West and modernity

Question 3

what idea do these images offer us?

Answer 3

These images offer us a triumphant account of the modern world.
Within this account the modern world is associated with rapid
technological change and innovations, machines and factories, railways
and steamships. The history of industrialisation thus becomes simply
a story of development, and the modern age appears as a wonderful
time of technological progress.