Im curious as well, the creator of this meme got it from somewhere. A crop and reverse image search may reveal its origin, but in on mobile right now. I think the sentiment is true though, which makes the addition of the graph even more confusing.
This diagram, often called the "Graying of the World" chart, is a data visualization from a study by the Science Museum Group (specifically researcher Cat Sleeman). It tracks the color of man-made objects over more than 200 years.
To your point about the date: You are absolutely right that photography didn't exist in 1800. Here is what the diagram is actually referring to and why that date is there:
The "1800" Discrepancy
The chart does not show photographs taken in 1800. Instead, it shows the pixel data from modern digital photos of historical objects held in the museum's collection.
The X-Axis: Represents the year the object (like a tool, a clock, or a steam engine) was manufactured.
The Data: Researchers took over 7,000 digitized photos of these objects, categorized them by their creation date, and then used an algorithm to "count" the color of every pixel in those photos.
What the Colors Represent
The chart shows a shift in the materials we use to build our world:
1800–1900 (The "Natural" Era): The dominant colors are browns and yellows. This isn't because the world was sepia-toned; it's because most everyday objects were made of wood, brass, and copper.
1900–1960 (The Industrial Shift): You see a massive expansion of black and gray. This corresponds with the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the use of steel and charcoal-colored metals.
The 1960s (The "Pop" Spike): There is a visible "bulge" of vibrant blues, reds, and greens. This represents the "Plastic Age" and the mid-century design movement where bright, synthetic dyes became cheap and fashionable.
2000–Present (Modern Minimalism): The chart ends with a overwhelming amount of grayscale (gray, black, and white). In fact, the study found that grayscale colors now make up about 60% of the pixels in photos of modern objects.
Im curious as well, the creator of this meme got it from somewhere. A crop and reverse image search may reveal its origin, but in on mobile right now. I think the sentiment is true though, which makes the addition of the graph even more confusing.
I asked Gemini and this is what it said:
This diagram, often called the "Graying of the World" chart, is a data visualization from a study by the Science Museum Group (specifically researcher Cat Sleeman). It tracks the color of man-made objects over more than 200 years.
To your point about the date: You are absolutely right that photography didn't exist in 1800. Here is what the diagram is actually referring to and why that date is there:
The X-Axis: Represents the year the object (like a tool, a clock, or a steam engine) was manufactured.
The Data: Researchers took over 7,000 digitized photos of these objects, categorized them by their creation date, and then used an algorithm to "count" the color of every pixel in those photos.
1800–1900 (The "Natural" Era): The dominant colors are browns and yellows. This isn't because the world was sepia-toned; it's because most everyday objects were made of wood, brass, and copper.
1900–1960 (The Industrial Shift): You see a massive expansion of black and gray. This corresponds with the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the use of steel and charcoal-colored metals.
The 1960s (The "Pop" Spike): There is a visible "bulge" of vibrant blues, reds, and greens. This represents the "Plastic Age" and the mid-century design movement where bright, synthetic dyes became cheap and fashionable.
2000–Present (Modern Minimalism): The chart ends with a overwhelming amount of grayscale (gray, black, and white). In fact, the study found that grayscale colors now make up about 60% of the pixels in photos of modern objects.