Depicting electricity. The development of electrical engineering and magazine illustration of the end of the nineteenth century

Abstract

The subject of this study is the visual feedback which was observed in the field of electrical engineering breakthrough in the Russian press during the 1880s-1890s.
This work highlights both the artistic and technical means, themes and subjects that were reflected in magazine illustrations. The uniting feature of these images is the historical relativity of their content; accommodating both utopia and reality.
The main aim of the research is to show, how Russian readers of magazines saw the new electrical revolution in the end of XIX century. Current Cultural Studies still doesn`t have the explicit view of Russian perception of this phenomenon. Scientific insight of the electricity appeared only in XVIII century.
Authors show how Russian magazine illustrations followed the trends of foreign magazines such as “The London Illustrated News” (Great Britain), “La lumière électrique” (France) and “Illustrirte Zeitung” (Germany). Illustrations mainly showed the usage of electricity for street illumination, army, navy and railway.
Authors conclude that magazine illustrations had a great impact on Russian readers, as these illustrations started the process of demystification of the electricity in back country of Russia. During 1880-1890s the perception of these magazine illustrations evolved from fantastic assumptions to the fact of modern reality.