1462 Mainz, Germany, sacked by Adolf of Nassau
1468 Gutenberg dies
1470 Freiburger, Gering, and Kranz, 1st printing press in France
1475 Caxton, 1st English-language typographic book
1475 Caxton, 1st English-language typographic book
c 1478 CE Washington Haggadah
1484 Botticelli, Birth of Venus
1484 Botticelli, Birth of Venus
1492 Columbus sails to America
1494 Manutius establishes the Aldine Press in Venice (pic)
1494 France invades Italy
1494 France invades Italy
1503 Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa
1505 Geoffroy Tory returns to France from Italy
1509 Henry VIII becomes king of England
1512 Michaelangelo completes the Sistine Chapel ceiling
1505 Geoffroy Tory returns to France from Italy
1509 Henry VIII becomes king of England
1512 Michaelangelo completes the Sistine Chapel ceiling
1517 Luther launches the Reformation
1522 Magellan’s expedition circumnavigates the globe
1522 Magellan’s expedition circumnavigates the globe
1528 Albrecht Durer dies
c 1530 Garamond establishes an independent type foundry
1534 Luther’s first German-language Bible
1538 1st printing press in Mexico
1555 Plantin establishes his press at Antwerp
c 1557 Granjon, Civilit type
1534 Luther’s first German-language Bible
1538 1st printing press in Mexico
1555 Plantin establishes his press at Antwerp
c 1557 Granjon, Civilit type
1569 Mercator, modern cartography
1594 Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
1605 Cervantes, Don Quixote; Shakespeare, Macbeth
1621 Weekly Newes, 1st English newspaper
1594 Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
1605 Cervantes, Don Quixote; Shakespeare, Macbeth
1621 Weekly Newes, 1st English newspaper
1689 Peter the Great becomes the czar of Russia
The Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment (or simply the Enlightenment) is the era in Western philosophy, intellectual, scientific and cultural life, centered upon the 18th century, in which reason was advocated as the primary source for legitimacy and authority. Developing simultaneously in France, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the American colonies. The authors of the American Declaration of Independence, the United States Bill of Rights, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, and the Polish-Lithuanian Constitution of May 3, 1791, were motivated by Enlightenment principles. The "Enlightenment" was not a single movement or school of thought, for these philosophies were often mutually contradictory or divergent. The Enlightenment was less a set of ideas than it was a set of values. At its core was a critical questioning of traditional institutions, customs, and morals, and a strong belief in rationality and science.[v]
The Age of Enlightenment (or simply the Enlightenment) is the era in Western philosophy, intellectual, scientific and cultural life, centered upon the 18th century, in which reason was advocated as the primary source for legitimacy and authority. Developing simultaneously in France, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the American colonies. The authors of the American Declaration of Independence, the United States Bill of Rights, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, and the Polish-Lithuanian Constitution of May 3, 1791, were motivated by Enlightenment principles. The "Enlightenment" was not a single movement or school of thought, for these philosophies were often mutually contradictory or divergent. The Enlightenment was less a set of ideas than it was a set of values. At its core was a critical questioning of traditional institutions, customs, and morals, and a strong belief in rationality and science.[v]
1700 Sewall, The Selling of Joseph, 1st American pamphlet protesting slavery
1721 Bach, Brandenburg Concertos
1726 Swift, Gulliver’s Travels
1740 masanobu, linear perspective in ukiyo-e prints
1760 George III becomes king of England
1765 harunobu, multicolor ukiyo-e prints
1769 Watt patents steam engine
1770 Boston Massacre
1769 Watt patents steam engine
1770 Boston Massacre
1774 Louis XVI ecomes king of France
1776 American Declaration of Independence
1776 American Declaration of Independence
1789 Washington becomes 1st U.S. president
1789 French Revolution begins, Bastille stormed
c 1790 Bodoni, typefaces bearing his name
1789 French Revolution begins, Bastille stormed
c 1790 Bodoni, typefaces bearing his name
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution, which took place from the 18th to 19th centuries, was a period during which predominantly agrarian, rural societies in Europe and America became industrial and urban. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the late 1700s, manufacturing was often done in people’s homes, using hand tools or basic machines. Industrialization marked a shift to powered, special-purpose machinery, factories and mass production. The iron and textile industries, along with the development of the steam engine, played central roles in the Industrial Revolution, which also saw improved systems of transportation, communication and banking. While industrialization brought about an increased volume and variety of manufactured goods and an improved standard of living for some, it also resulted in often grim employment and living conditions for the poor and working classes.[vi]
The Industrial Revolution, which took place from the 18th to 19th centuries, was a period during which predominantly agrarian, rural societies in Europe and America became industrial and urban. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the late 1700s, manufacturing was often done in people’s homes, using hand tools or basic machines. Industrialization marked a shift to powered, special-purpose machinery, factories and mass production. The iron and textile industries, along with the development of the steam engine, played central roles in the Industrial Revolution, which also saw improved systems of transportation, communication and banking. While industrialization brought about an increased volume and variety of manufactured goods and an improved standard of living for some, it also resulted in often grim employment and living conditions for the poor and working classes.[vi]
1793 Louis XVI beheaded
1796 Senefelder invents lithography
1799 Napoleon rules France
1796 Senefelder invents lithography
1799 Napoleon rules France
1804 Napoleon crowned emperor
1808 Beethoven, Fifth Symphony
1808 Beethoven, Fifth Symphony
1821 Champollion deciphers hieroglyphics
1823 Monroe Doctrine
1823 Monroe Doctrine
1828 Democratic Party formed
1831 Henry, 1st electric motor
1831 Henry, 1st electric motor
1834 Berthold, Akzidenz Grotesk
1834 Braille, writing system for blind
1834 Braille, writing system for blind
Victorian Era
The Victorian era is generally agreed to stretch through the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). It was a time of prosperity, broad imperial expansion, and great political reform. It was also a time, which today we associate with "prudishness" and "repression". Without a doubt, it was an extraordinarily complex age, that has sometimes been called the Second English Renaissance. It is, however, also the beginning of Modern Times. The social classes of England were newly reforming, and fomenting. There was a churning upheaval of the old hierarchical order, and the middle classes were steadily growing. Added to that, the upper classes' composition was changing from simply hereditary aristocracy to a combination of nobility and an emerging wealthy commercial class. There continued to be a large and generally disgruntled working class, including horribly overworked child labor, wanting and slowly getting reform and change. The Victorian Era was also a time of tremendous scientific progress and ideas. Darwin posited the Theory of Evolution. The Great Exhibition of 1851 took place in London, lauding the technical and industrial advances of the age, and strides in medicine and the physical sciences continued throughout the century. The radical thought associated with modern psychiatry began with men like Sigmund Feud toward the end of the era, and radical economic theory, developed by Karl Marx and his associates, began a second age of revolution in mid-century. The ideas of Marxism, socialism, feminism churned and bubbled along with all else that happened.[vii]
The Victorian era is generally agreed to stretch through the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). It was a time of prosperity, broad imperial expansion, and great political reform. It was also a time, which today we associate with "prudishness" and "repression". Without a doubt, it was an extraordinarily complex age, that has sometimes been called the Second English Renaissance. It is, however, also the beginning of Modern Times. The social classes of England were newly reforming, and fomenting. There was a churning upheaval of the old hierarchical order, and the middle classes were steadily growing. Added to that, the upper classes' composition was changing from simply hereditary aristocracy to a combination of nobility and an emerging wealthy commercial class. There continued to be a large and generally disgruntled working class, including horribly overworked child labor, wanting and slowly getting reform and change. The Victorian Era was also a time of tremendous scientific progress and ideas. Darwin posited the Theory of Evolution. The Great Exhibition of 1851 took place in London, lauding the technical and industrial advances of the age, and strides in medicine and the physical sciences continued throughout the century. The radical thought associated with modern psychiatry began with men like Sigmund Feud toward the end of the era, and radical economic theory, developed by Karl Marx and his associates, began a second age of revolution in mid-century. The ideas of Marxism, socialism, feminism churned and bubbled along with all else that happened.[vii]
1843 Buford, Boston lithography firm
c 1843-45 Hill & Adamson, early portrait photography
1844 Morse, telegraph
1846 Hoe, rotary lithographic press
c 1843-45 Hill & Adamson, early portrait photography
1844 Morse, telegraph
1846 Hoe, rotary lithographic press
1848 Marx, The Communist Manifesto
1851 Melville, Moby Dick
1852 Paxton, Crystal Palace
1856 Prang opens Boston lithography firm
1852 Paxton, Crystal Palace
1856 Prang opens Boston lithography firm
1859 Darwin, The Origin of Species
1861 U.S. Civil War begins
1861 U.S. Civil War begins
1865 Crane, his 1st children’s book
1865 Lincoln assassinated
1865 Lincoln assassinated
1869 Suez Canal opens
1870s Woodtype posters begin to decline as lithography becomes dominant
1874 Prang, 1st American Christmas card
1870s Woodtype posters begin to decline as lithography becomes dominant
1874 Prang, 1st American Christmas card
1877 Morris makes his 1st public lectures on design
1879 Greenaway, Under the Window
1879 Greenaway, Under the Window
1880s Dry plates replace wet plates
1883 Stevenson, Treasure Island
1884 Twain, Huckleberry Finn
1884 Art Worker’s Guild formed
1884 Twain, Huckleberry Finn
1884 Art Worker’s Guild formed
1885 Ives, halftone screen
1886 Statue of Liberty
1886 grasset, 1st poster
1886 Statue of Liberty
1886 grasset, 1st poster
1887 Lanston, Monotype machine
1888 Morris designs Golden type
1890 chéret, legion of honor
1891 Edison, kinetoscopic camera
1890 chéret, legion of honor
1891 Edison, kinetoscopic camera
1893 Morris, Chaucer type
1893 Ford’s 1st gasoline engine
1893 Ford’s 1st gasoline engine
1894 Nicolas II becomes the Russian czar
1895 Goudy’s Camelot, his 1st typeface
1895 bing, l'art noiveau gallery opens
1895 Goudy’s Camelot, his 1st typeface
1895 bing, l'art noiveau gallery opens
1896 Morris, Kelmscott Chaucer; Pissarro founds Eragny Press; Rogers joins Riverside Press; Hornsby starts Ashendene Press; Morris dies
1897 vienna secession formed