This is a painting by Joseph Paxton of the Crystal Palace in London during the Great Exhibition in 1851. The Great Exhibition was the first international exhibition of manufactured products and represented the British Empire being the center of industrialization. Crystal Palace occupied
nineteen acres of land and approximately six and a half
million people visited the exhibition, dimensions that the world had never seen before.
How did the Crystal Palace represent the British Empire being "the center of industrialization"? I know you mentioned this in your presentation but it would be nice to see it reiterated in your post, so other people can make the connection in the future. It would also be great to have more information about the Crystal Palace's relationship to imperialism and, more specifically, India.
ReplyDeleteI love the painting though! The colors the artist used really pop out and reflect the "grand" nature of the palace. One question: do we have any more background info on the painting? i.e. kind of paint used, Paxton's reason for creating the painting, etc.
I don't remember if you mentioned this previously, but the items in the picture could also connect back to Jane Eyre and the characters' fixation with wealth. Jane refuses to allow herself to marry Rochester because she feels like she is not on the same economic level as him, and Jane is constantly judged by other characters for her lowly status. The painting emphasizes the glamour and wealth of the British empire. The Crystal Palace was meant to show off the British's power and their ability to create such a great place.