“Pictures from an Exposition: Visualizing the 1893 World’s Fair” has opened at the Newberry Library in Chicago.
The exhibition of nearly two hundred items from the World’s Columbian Exposition fills two galleries in the Library’s newly renovated main floor. Displays are organized into sections on:
• Introduction
• Construction
• Maps and Bird’s Eye Views
• Staff and Sculpture
• Publicity and Promotion
• Spectacle
• Transportation and Tourism
• Columbus and Commerce
• Along the Midway Plaisance
• Indians
• Nations and States
• Art and Decoration
• Photography
• Making History
The 125-year-old treasures on display are in remarkably good condition. Vibrant color prints and paper ephemera, clean books and broadsides, and gorgeous artwork fill display cases and wall space. After spending well over an hour poring over the informative descriptions of the objects, we knew we would be coming back many more times to enjoy these rarities.
Displayed on the west wall of the gallery is an oil sketch by William Dodge of his mural for the dome of the Administration Building, The Glorification of the Arts and Sciences, which we wrote about here and here.
The redesigned Newberry book shop carries many books about the 1893 World’s Fair as well as original Columbian Exposition postcards published by the Library. We only wish there was an exhibit catalog to accompany the exhibit.
Here is a selection of what you can see at “Pictures from an Exposition: Visualizing the 1893 World’s Fair”:
Shown below are some interesting details that you may be able to find in your visit to “Pictures from an Exposition: Visualizing the 1893 World’s Fair”: