Oil in Oil (and Other Art Media): Painting the Petroleum Port

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleProfessional

    Abstract

    The oil industry depends on water both for the refining process and for transportation, so many early oil companies sited petroleum storage and refineries near rivers and in port cities. Following industrial drilling in Canada and North America in 1858 and 1859, petroleum took the world by storm; in the early decades, it was particularly popular as lighting oil. Old and new ports – Philadelphia, Rotterdam, Dunkirk, Abadan – offered ideal conditions for storage and refining, and were well located to serve as hubs in the emerging global network of oil. Artists noticed the new structures, and their admiration and curiosity were visible in their artwork. Heads of corporations and public leaders used the depictions for promotion and perhaps decorated their offices with them.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalPortus (online)
    Volume17
    Issue number33
    Publication statusPublished - Jun 2017

    Keywords

    • Port cities
    • Port cultures
    • Petroleum
    • global networks
    • Refineries
    • Artistic representattion of the port

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