Consumer Society Collection

Advertising poster for Augusto shoes, 19th century (engraving)
JEB4848869 Advertising poster for Augusto shoes, 19th century (engraving); Musee d'histoire, Marseille, France; (add.info.: Advertising poster for Augusto shoes)

"I do wish I could have that doll with the dark hair!" (colour litho)
8652457 "I do wish I could have that doll with the dark hair!" (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Example of an educational display of sugar (b/w photo)
8647472 Example of an educational display of sugar (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Example of an educational display of sugar)

A Sad End (b / w photo)
7160147 A Sad End (b/w photo) by Kisch, David Henry (1847-1902); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Sad End. Illustration for The Siege of Ladysmith in 120 Pictures from Photographs by Henry Kisch)

The Worlds Commodities, 7 Tobacco (colour litho)
7169517 The Worlds Commodities, 7 Tobacco (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Worlds Commodities, 7 Tobacco)

The Worlds Commodities, 6 Wine, Currants and Raisins and Rubber (colour litho)
7169516 The Worlds Commodities, 6 Wine, Currants and Raisins and Rubber (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Worlds Commodities, 6 Wine)

The Worlds Commodities, 4 Tea and Coffee (colour litho)
7169514 The Worlds Commodities, 4 Tea and Coffee (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Worlds Commodities, 4 Tea and Coffee)

The Worlds Commodities, 15 Iron Ore (colour litho)
7169525 The Worlds Commodities, 15 Iron Ore (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Worlds Commodities, 15 Iron Ore)

The Worlds Commodities, 2 Wheat, Rye and Maize (colour litho)
7169512 The Worlds Commodities, 2 Wheat, Rye and Maize (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Worlds Commodities, 2 Wheat, Rye and Maize)

Illustration by Achille Lemot (1846-1909) in Le Pelerin
ICA4852427 Illustration by Achille Lemot (1846-1909) in Le Pelerin, 23/09/06 - The dream of the widows sons - Antimilitarism, Religion Faith, Churches Cathedrales

The saying: "He who does not consume, does not renew himself"
GIA4786441 The saying: " He who does not consume, does not renew himself" Illustration from a collection of proverbs from the 18th century by Unknown artist

Girls pink party shoe discarded on top of a black bin liner

Eye-catching pink poster advertising Police Naked eau de parfum, a new perfume with an amusing memorable name

Consumer society: bar code printed on womans head
MODEL RELEASED. Consumer society. Conceptual image of a bar code printed onto a womans head. This may represent the consumerisation of society

Woman and bar code. Conceptual image of a woman with a bar code. This may represent the use of bar codes for identification and security purposes

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In a world driven by consumerism, we find ourselves at a sad end. The black and white photo captures the essence of our society's obsession with material possessions. We are surrounded by an abundance of commodities, as depicted in the colorful lithographs showcasing tobacco, wine, currants and raisins, rubber, tea and coffee. These images serve as a reminder of how these products have become integral to our daily lives. The illustration by Achille Lemot further emphasizes this point. In Le Pelerin, he portrays the saying "He who does not consume does not renew himself. " It highlights the belief that consumption is necessary for personal growth and development. Advertisements play a significant role in promoting consumer culture. The advertising of "Frigeavia"and "Teleavia" demonstrates how companies entice us to constantly upgrade our appliances and electronics. Even in everyday life scenes like Covent Garden Market or a discarded pink party shoe on top of a black bin liner, we witness the consequences of our excessive consumption habits. The engraving depicts London people engrossed in their quest for more goods while disregarding their surroundings. An eye-catching pink poster advertising Police Naked eau de parfum catches our attention but also symbolizes how marketing tactics manipulate us into desiring new products incessantly. As we delve deeper into this consumer society, it becomes evident that our insatiable desire for material possessions has led us astray from what truly matters - human connection and sustainability, and is time to reflect on the impact of our choices and strive towards finding balance between fulfilling our needs and preserving resources for future generations.