Objet d'Art: Umbrella

Photo: EGAL (istockphoto) 

An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term umbrella is traditionally used when protecting oneself from rain, with parasol used when protecting oneself from sunlight, though the terms continue to be used interchangeably. There are also combinations of parasol and umbrella that are called en-tout-cas (French for in any case).

Umbrellas and parasols are primarily hand-held portable devices sized for personal use. The largest hand-portable umbrellas are golf umbrellas. Larger parasols capable of blocking the sun for several people are often used as fixed or semi-fixed devices, used with patio tables or other outdoor furniture, or as points of shade on a sunny beach, for example.

Parasol may also be called sunshade, or beach umbrella. An umbrella may also be called a brolly (UK slang), parapluie (nineteenth century, French origin), rainshade, gamp, or bumbershoot. When used for snow, it is called a paraneige. 

Source: Wikipedia