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

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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Babbling on and on
May 28, 2024The Monastery of Roussanou, Greece
Boardwalk nostalgia
Oct 8, 2023World Octopus Day
40 years of recovery
Dec 20, 2025Christmas star lanterns, Germany
A puzzle for giants
Love is in the snow
Sep 28, 2023Container ship near a port in Thailand
Scenic Mount Michener
Jun 20, 2024Summer solstice
Sep 2, 2024Rhino mother and calf, Kaziranga National Park, Assam
Aug 28, 2025Great white egret, Hungary
Oct 28, 2023Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
An island crossroad of culture
Jun 17, 2024Green-crowned brilliant hummingbird
May the 4th be with you
Mar 9, 2025Kedarkantha, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
Welcome to the worlds yoga capital
Jan 4, 2026Kings Mountain, Chugach Mountains, Alaska, United States
Where we go to play
The ‘eighth wonder’?
Jun 17, 2025Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States
May 14, 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
A sky full of stars
Apr 16, 2025Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah, United States
A sea of humanity
Feb 21, 2025Champaka Sarasi, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Sep 7, 2024Ganesh Chaturthi
Want to hang about?