Induktive Wissenschaft 1882

Hans Canon created this oil on canvas, Induktive Wissenschaft, during the 19th century in Austria. The painting depicts a woman and a child interacting with some kind of scientific instrument. Canon was a history painter, and in the late nineteenth century, history painting was often put to the service of nationalism. But it was also used to depict important cultural and social movements. In this case, Canon has used it to represent the rise of science. Inductive science emphasizes empirical observation and experimentation to create generalized theories. This was a major shift in epistemology during the Enlightenment and Industrial eras. By using the genre of history painting in this way, Canon suggests that science is just as important and world-changing as battles and monarchs. To fully understand this work, we must consider the culture of nineteenth-century Austria and its institutions of art and science.