A German ceramic tile tableau exhibited at the 1893 World’s Fair is back on display for a limited time at the DANK Haus German American Cultural Center in Chicago.

The Glory of Germania is an 18-by-12-foot tableau constructed of 1,057 individual tiles displayed with the German exhibit inside the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. (See our full post here.) After 93 years on display in the Germania Club of Chicago and another 32 years in boxed storage, the tiles were reassembled by the DANK Haus Museum & Collections staff in the summer of 2018 for their current exhibit.

The Glory of Germania is on display in the Scharpenberg Art Gallery of the DANK Haus (4740 N Western Ave., Chicago) from July 1st through mid-September, 1-5 pm or by appointment by contacting monicafelix@dankhaus.com. Also on display are the disassembled porcelain columns and two side paintings on tile that accompanied the work when exhibited at the Fair. DANK Haus has several tables of materials relating to Germania and the World’s Fair in the gallery. Visitors should not miss the chance to see the Museum on the second floor for additional Columbian Exposition relics.

A reception on Friday, August 24 at 7 pm will feature a keynote address by Dr. Diane Dillon, Director of Exhibitions and Major Projects at the Newberry Library and an expert on the World’s Columbian Exposition. Dr. Reinhard Andress of Loyola University will present historical material uncovered in the manufacturer’s archive in Berlin. Advanced registration is required at https://dankhaus.com/event-3003447. A $5 registration fee includes a commemorative Glory of Germania postcard.

Detail of The Glory of Germania tile painting showing “Father Rhine.” [Image from the DANK Haus.]