The Ivory Throne, from "Recollections of the Great Exhibition, 1851"
Walter Goodall British
Lithographer Day & Son, Ltd., London British
Publisher Lloyd Brothers & Co. British
Not on view
At the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, held in London in 1851, displays of art and manufacture were shown at the Crystal Palace, a specially-built glass and iron building in Hyde park designed by Joseph Paxton. Between May and October more than six million visitors flocked to view thousands of objects organized by theme and place of origin at the first world’s fair. This lithograph centers on an ivory throne and footstool demonstrating the skills of craftsmen in Travancore, southern India–presented to Queen Victoria at the close of the exhibition, these are now in the Royal Collection. Carved plaques combining Indian and European motifs are displayed in a tent-like setting adorned with oriental rugs, and princely accoutrements. Publishers Lloyd Brothers teamed with lithographers Day & Son to create the hand-colored set to which the print belongs, the whole offering well-to-do visitors a detailed and beautifully produced souvenir.
