Glazen fontein van Follett Osler tentoongesteld op de Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations van 1851 in Londen in het Crystal Palace 1851

This photograph by C.M. Ferrier & F. von Martens documents the Follett Osler glass fountain displayed at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London's Crystal Palace. The Great Exhibition was a celebration of industry and empire, a showcase of Britain’s global power. Osler's fountain, an enormous, elaborate structure made of glass, stood as a symbol of Victorian ingenuity. Yet, beyond its aesthetic appeal, the fountain tells a story of Victorian society and the era’s complex relationship with progress. The use of glass, a material transformed by industrial processes, highlights the Exhibition’s emphasis on manufacturing and technological advancement. Consider, too, the labor and resources extracted from colonized lands, which fueled Britain’s industrial prowess. It's hard not to see the fountain as a monument to both innovation and exploitation. The fountain mirrors the aspirations and the anxieties of the age. The photograph allows us to reflect on the cultural and economic forces that shaped both the object and the society in which it was celebrated.