Saturday, September 25, 2010

From Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition [1893]

Every now-and-then I come across arts and architecture, closely related to the Chicago's World Columbian Exposition in 1893. So I thought about putting them together.
 

A good way to begin is with the statue of Christopher Columbus, which was placed in the fair in the Italian Pavilion..
Christopher Columbus..
By Moses Ezekiel..
1891; rededicated 1966..
Location: Victor Arrigon Park..
West Polk and South Loomis..
This sculpture was exhibited in the 1893, Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition, in the Italian Pavilion. The work was commissioned by the owners of the Columbus Memorial Bldg. and cast in Rome. After the World's Fair, it was placed at the entrance of the downtown bldg. But the bldg. was demolished in 1959, and this sculpture went to storage. In 1966, Senator Victor Arrigon, arranged for it to be displayed in it's present location.
Ref: A Guide to Chicago's Public Sculpture..
By Ira J. Bach and Mary Lackritz Gray..
# For more, click here..

 


 
A Signal of Peace..
By Cyrus Edwin Dallin
1890, installed: 1894
Location: Lincoln Park..
north of the entrace to Diversy Harbor..
A Siox Chief on his pony, with a spear high abopve his head, giving a peace signal, recognized by Native Americans. It was exhibited in the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition..
It was bought by Judge Lambert Treee, who donated it to Lincoln Park. In a letter to Lincoln Park commissioners Tree explained that he wanted a public memorial foir the Indians because.."It is evident there is no future for them, except that they may exist as memory in a sculptor's bronze or stone or a painter's canvas"..
Ref: A Guide to Chicago's Public Sculpture..
By Ira J. Bach and Mary Lackritz Gray..
# For more, click here..

 

Benjamin Franklin Monument ..
Sculptor: Richard Henry Park.
# For more, click here..

 


 
End of Trail..
Sculptor: James Earle Fraser [1876-1953]
Modeled: 1918
Cast: 1928 / Bronze..
The first version was cast in 1893, for World's Columbian Exposition..
Location: Gallery 163 / American Art [The American West]..
In 1893, the year of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the 15-year old Fraser, then a student of the Art Institute, produced the first version of this bronze sculpture. [The Art Institute sculpture is later modeled and cast]..
The marker reads..
A melancholic commentary on the vanishing Indian, the work portrays an exhausted Sioux drooping on his equally weary pony, both rider and horse, have literally - and figuratively - have reached the end of the trail..
# For more, click here..

 


 


 


 
Two Bisons.. [Humboldt Park]..
By Edward Kemeys..
1893, installed: 1911..
Location: Humboldt Park - Formal Garden..
These are reproduced by models sculptor Edward Kemeys made for the grounds of World's Columbian Exposition. In 1911, when the Humboldt park was being landscaped under Jen Jensen, the World's Fair Association commissioned sculptor Jules Bercham to reproduce these figures in bronze. Like the Art Institute's Lions, these two are also not identical. One has head down, as if gazing. The other stares forward.
# For more, click here..

 
The World's Fair Association also reproduced two sculptural groups for other Parks..
- Bulls for Garfield Park..
- The Republic for Jackson Park..

 


 


 


 
The Bulls.. [Garfield Park]..
Female figures: Daniel Chester French
Bulls: Edward Potter
There are two sculptures, in one the female figure, represent Ceres, the Roman Goddess of grains. It's a companion sculpture of an Native American maiden, holding stalks of corns. These bronze sculptures were cast from salvaged working models of sculptures designed for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. These were placed in front of the Fair's Agriculture Building. Directly across was the Manufacturers Building, were companion groups of horses and male figures, a farmer and a teamster, representing labor, were installed. These were also by the same sculptures, French and Potter..
# For more on Roman Goddess Ceres [Garfield Park] ..
# For more on Native Indian [Garfield Park], click here..

 


 
Statue of The Republic..[Jackson Park]..
Year Built: 1918
Sculptor: Daniel Chester French
Architect: Henry Bacon
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: June 4, 2003..
This statue "The Republic" is a one-third reproduction of the 65-foot-high sculpture, which originally dominated the World's Columbian Exposition's Court of Honor. Both the earlier sculpture and its later reproduction were both the work of Daniel Chester French. The intent was to express the republic of the United States and its form of government.
This was commissioned by the B.F.Ferguson Monument Fund, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago and the Illinois statehood centennial.
# For more, click here..

 


 
Stained Glass Window..
[Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows at Navy Pier]..
Another survivor of 1893, Chicago World's Columbian Exposition..
It was the center piece of three-piece window from Massachusetts installed in the Woman's Building. The window is an early and major statement of American feminism.
# For more, click here..

 


 
The Museum of Science and Industry..
Then, the Palace of Fine Arts...

 


 
Then the Burnham office, And now, the Burnham Library [at The Rookery]..
This is where the World's Columbian Exposition was planned..
# For more, click here..

 


 
Then of course, one can talk about Ferris Wheel, the Juicy Fruit gum, the Quaker Oats, the Cream of Wheat ,Cracker Jack, [hamburger ?? not sure]... the first commemorative coins.. Contributions to nickname, "The Windy City", and "The White City"..
The 3rd of the 4 Red stars on the Municipal Flag of Chicago, represents the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.

 
And, although I am sure, there will be more posts on this topic, however today I conclude with one of my favourite places in Chicago.. The Art Institute of Chicago..

 


 
A plaque on the building reads..
This building was erected in commemoration of the Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, and, was dedicated to the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893..

 
RELATED LINKS:
# Christopher Columbus - by Moses Ezekiel....
# A Signal of Peace - by Cyrus Edwin Dallin..
# Benjamin Franklin Monument - Richard Henry Park..
# The End of Trail - James Earle Fraser ..
# The Bisons - Edward Kemeys..
# The Bulls - Daniel Chester French..
# Statue of the Republic - Daniel Chester French..
# Stained Glass Window ..
# Burnham Library [The Rookery] ..

 
Also check out my FB Album..
# From Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition, 1893..

4 comments:

Rick Lightburn said...

I believe that there are some cattle sculptures behind the Garfield Park Conservatory that are (?reproductions) from the Columbian Exposition.

Jyoti said...

Hey Rick,
Thanks for your comment.
I think you are talking about the "Bulls". These are at Garfield Park Conservatory..
There are two Bulls, one with
Ceres and other with a Native American Goddess.. Sculptors for these are the famous French and Potter..
Female figures: Daniel Chester French
Bulls: Edward Potter

http://chicago-outdoor-sculptures.blogspot.com/2010/05/garfield-park-bulls-i.html

Jyoti said...

And I am sure that these are the only animal sculptures at Garfield Park from the World's Columbian Exposition..
AND I have included them in my Blog article and FB Album..

Some days back there was an article on these by Mary Schmich of Tribune Company..

Anonymous said...

My father was given a water color of a young boy standing next to a tree stump by an elderly woman who said she had got it from the 1893 Chicago World Fair. She was in her 80s when she gave this picture to father, and my father died in 1981. So the timing is right.

This picture fell off the wall and the handmade nails could be seen. I had it restored at the Australian National Gallery. The person who restored the picture said that on the back of the art was the name John Kennedy. This person did a wonderful job restoring this art and there was no apparent damage to the art.

Could you tell me anything about the art sold at this Fair?