1893 World's Fair in Chicago

Over a hundred years ago, an exposition in Chicago marked the height of the Industrial Revolution.  A carefully sculpted and carefully controlled vision of Swedenborgian(1) perfection, the aesthetic principle of neoclassical rationalism and scientism mirrored the wide public faith in the new Manifest Destiny, the inevitable triumph of technology over nature.  From George Westinghouse's enormous electric generators to the majesty of the domed Administration building, there was much to fuel the public feeling that Man had finally come into his own.  The keen eye could easily see how, by the end of the century, God would be dead.

The exposition, though not without its problems (perhaps the most significantly, in hindsight, was that in Daniel Burnham's "Great White City", there was no real representation of Negro America(2)), found much to celebrate.  Dubbed the Columbian Exposition, it was originally dedicated to the 400th anniversry of Columbus' voyage of discovery, though it missed by one year because of difficulties lining up exhibitors in '92.  As thoroughly American as the Paris exhibition had been cosmopolitan, the triumph of  rugged individualism, determination, exploration and experimentation formed the unavoidable theme of the fair.  And the recent advances in technology, medicine, science and engineering were awe-inspiring, as sweeping in their way as the second half of this century has felt to us.

This deck presents only the façades of forty-three of the major buildings of the Columbian Exposition, possibly sketched in advance of the exposition itself, in order to be available for sale while it was open.  I actually don't know whether this deck was purchased, or even sold, at the exposition or not.  The face cards all repeat the same three images (the "Birdseye View," the "Womans" [sic] building, and the "Administration" building), with the remaining forty cards showing various other buildings, including the international ones, the ones tied to various industries, and so forth.  There is also a title card, shown above, and a joker.  And while the deck itself is, in classical souvenir form, more interesting as a keepsake than enlightening, a century later it becomes a key to unlocking this fascinating moment in history.

Still, let us, while we can, take a long walk down the Midway Plaisance to the Manufactures Building, gaze upon the Atlantic simplicity of the Maine Building, watch as Grover Cleveland himself sets the great fountain in motion.  It's a moment frozen in time, a snapshot of the great American psyche in such a pure and self-assured state as it would not be again until the second Great War in Europe ended.  Let us watch the zenith of the great Industrial spirit, lord over all it surveyed, and ignorant of all it did not.

All images (I'm guessing) © 1893, Parker Brothers, displayed here for commentary, analysis and appreciation only.