Landbouwwerktuigen met stoommotor van Hornsby and Sons op de Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations van 1851 in Londen 1851

This photograph by Claude-Marie Ferrier captures Hornsby and Sons’ agricultural machines at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. The composition is structured by the machinery's geometric forms: the cylinders, wheels, and rectilinear chassis create a stark contrast against the soft, diffused light and hazy background. The monochromatic palette emphasizes the texture and materiality of the metal, highlighting its industrial nature. The scale of the machines, dominating the frame, conveys a sense of power and progress, yet the soft focus lends a dream-like quality, blurring the boundaries between reality and representation. The photograph's formal qualities reflect the Victorian fascination with technology as both a symbol of advancement and a source of aesthetic wonder. The interplay between the sharp, mechanical details and the ethereal atmosphere encapsulates the complex relationship between industrialization and the changing landscape of 19th-century society. Ultimately, the photograph invites us to consider how new technologies redefine our perception and reshape cultural values.