Art installation of umbrellas, Borough Market, London, England 10 Feb 2025

Art installation of umbrellas, Borough Market, London, England

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 engineering
10 Feb 2024South Downs Dark Skies Festival

More Desktop Wallpapers:

6 Feb 2025Waitangi Day in New Zealand
A gorge-ous place to drop in
15 Sep 2024Stockholm Public Library, Sweden
A berry merry Christmas
3 May 2024The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA
So good, they built it twice
Into the breach
Mountains of sand
13 Dec 2025Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
Mists over the Amazon
Aug 22, 2023Amphitheatre of El Jem, Tunisia
25 May 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
19 Mar 2024Cave Dale and Peveril Castle, Derbyshire
Dad on duty
Crystal clear
A curious little otter pup
30 Jan 2025Rolands Breach, Spain
A day for giving
14 Jun 2025Trooping the Colour
A different kind of toucan
27 Feb 2024International Polar Bear Day
Celebrating the Scottish bard
Whos in this creepy copse?
Zebras enjoying their day
The sun sets on British Summer Time
26 Aug 2024Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
24 Apr 2024The white trilliums in Ontario, Canada
Finding beauty in ruins
Behold the architectural marvel
The other continent Down Under