Scientific developments...in paintings!

When the moment came to choose a picture related, in some way or other, to science, I first thought it was going to be an easy and quick task to solve. However, I googled “famous paintings” and “science paintings” and nothing convinced me at all. I wanted to find a picture which made me immediately think of scientific development. After looking at dozens of paintings, I found this one, the one I talked about in class.

The picture was painted by Lorena Bonillo, a Spanish artist, and even though it imitates the original, still haven´t found the name of the artist who originally painted it. Maybe it is a very abstract painting, but I think that it can be interpreted in many ways. In fact, I sustain that the multiplicity of forms (squares, triangles, circles, arrows, irregular lines and rectangles) shows the multiplicity of advances that have been made in the scientific world and in all life spheres. In addition, some of the circles seem to portray the Milky Way or, to be less specific, the universe; and this makes me think of Astronomy, one of the oldest sciences in history. And look at the arrow. Its position seems to indicate a progression, as if science was going to go on advancing, without a clear final destination.

This other picture also portrays scientific development. It is a miniature painted by the British Frank Forsgard Manclark, who belongs to the Society of Limners (limnings=miniatures), and the name of this work is “Aeromaximum”.

Aren´t the car and the plane among the most amazing and useful inventions? If it hadn´t been for these means of transport, trade wouldn´t have been as quick as it is now. Furthermore, lots of cities have flourished after the invention of the car, as it has been easier to visit them and to build factories there; and hundreds of small towns have been connected to bigger ones and their inhabitants haven´t been isolated any more. If travelling wasn´t as easy as it is now, then many scientific developments wouldn´t have been possible. In Medicine, for example, it is easy to take drugs for experiments from one country to another, and it is possible for scientists to spread their word when they go on a business trip to different countries.

Communications have been improved as well. Nowadays, it is very common to buy a newspaper that was printed in the States, in the U.K. or in Buenos Aires. But this couldn´t have been possible without cars, vans, lorries and planes.

Of course these vehicles have their flaws (they are made by humans after all), but all the same, their relevance for the present cannot be denied.