View in the North Transept, from "Recollections of the Great Exhibition, 1851"
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 the fountain in the North Transept, surrounded by tropical palms and a coconut tree, with carpets shown hanging over the gallery. A woman points to a tiny figure holding a flag within the basin, symbolizing Britain's global exploration and trade networks. 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.
