Art Installation of umbrellas, London, United Kingdom Feb 10, 2025

Art Installation of umbrellas, London, United Kingdom

Today"s image features one of the simplest yet most essential inventions in human history: the umbrella, or parasol. Over 4,000 years ago, in ancient Egypt, Assyria and China, these foldable canopies were first used to shield people from the sun. It wasn"t until the 17th century that the umbrella, as we know it today, gained popularity in Europe, initially as a luxury item primarily for women. Fast-forward a few centuries, and these weather shields have become a staple in pop culture, too. Remember Mary Poppins with her iconic umbrella that helped her fly, or Rihanna"s hit song "Umbrella"?

© Malcolm P Chapman/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Masterpiece of acoustic science
Feb 10, 2024Chinese New Year
Feb 10, 2026Es Vedrà and Es Vedranell, Ibiza, Spain

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 28, 2025Impala in Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Sep 27, 2024Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
A magnificent place of worship
Jan 3, 2026J.R.R. Tolkien Day
Jan 7, 2026Old Rock Day
Aug 25, 2024Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, Telangana
Aug 10, 2024Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA
Dec 28, 2024Dudhsagar Falls, Goa
Aug 14, 2025Cable car station on Piz Nair mountain, Graubünden, Switzerland
Dec 16, 2025Handmade gnomes at a Christmas market
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
A different kind of toucan
Babbling on and on
Mar 2, 2025Megalong Valley, Blue Mountains National Park, NSW, Australia
Dec 10, 2025Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain
Blood moon
Aug 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California, USA
Season of light in the City of Light
Jan 9, 2024Gayathri Reservoir, Karnataka, India
Aug 20, 2025The citadel in Bonifacio, Southern Corsica, France
Feb 17, 2025Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Mar 9, 2025Kedarkantha, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
Oct 27, 2025Chhath Puja
Sep 9, 2025A female Eurasian red squirrel, Switzerland
An underwater paradise to explore
A labyrinth of luxury
Sequoias of the sea
Jun 1, 2025World Reef Awareness Day
Feb 4, 2024Devetashka Cave, Devetaki, Bulgaria
Sep 23, 2025Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica