Technically speaking, the term civilized living started being used around 1000 AD with the invention of the clock. Thereafter, the development of social technology not only changed mankind’s way of living, it also spurred the growth of its arts.

The industrial Revolution, which began in the 1760s, made its everlasting impact on all corners of human societies. It led to many seismic changes in human activities which also included the innovation in painting. Ever since the first photo taken by Frenchman Nicéphore Niépce in 1826, it was believed that the traditional painting would be replaced sooner or later by photography. Artists soon began to focus on developing the characteristics of the painting and the ideas expressed by the artists themselves. Hence, artistic painting entered into a historic period with flouring development and great innovation. In layman’s terms, “now artists paint for themselves while in the past they painted for others.”