This article critically reviews the development of painting art and the engineering of bridges in the first half of the 20th century. It shows that the expression of thought is directed towards innovation at a certain historical moment and non-imitation as a professional ethos. The vision is articulated through a multilevel perspective, including the social shaping of technology. The different milestones are chronologically compared following the Artistic Vanguards. It is shown that there was an accumulation of radical, disruptive innovation in the period between the World Wars. New tools to develop creativity were sought, and new figurative solutions and materials, such as concrete for bridge construction, began to be employed. The impressionist Monet and Eiffel and the cubist Picasso and Ribera deeply comprehended the previous techniques and dared to challenge them. The transversality of art and engineering is key to the innovation process.

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