12:00 PM ET
A Tiny Window, A Vast Century
A century folds into a frame: “Portrait of a Gentleman” arrived in 1872, the same era that gave the world its first traffic light. A gadget for order amid chaos, gas‑lit and hopeful. Today’s pocket‑thought: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
Which came first?
Result
The first traffic light (gas‑lit) was installed in 1868 in London. The portrait is from 1872.