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1 of 253523 objects
The Entrance to the North Transept of the Great Exhibition Building, 1 May 1851; 'Waiting for the Queen' Signed and dated 1851
Oil on panel | 61.0 x 44.9 cm (support, canvas/panel/stretcher external) | RCIN 405570
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The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October 1851. It was the first in a series of World's Fair exhibitions of culture and industry that became popular during the 19th century The Great Exhibition was organised by Prince Albert and Henry Cole. A special building, nicknamed the Crystal Palace, was designed by Joseph Paxton to house the exhibition. It took the form of a massive glass house that encompassed several trees in the park, as can be seen in this picture. This painting shows the transept of the building looking south on the morning of 1 May 1851, before the arrival of Queen Victoria. A Yeoman of the Guard stands on either side of the gates, made in Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, which now divide Hyde Park from Kensington Gardens. Through the gates can be seen a crystal fountain and the baldacchino (canopy) under which the royal party would stand.
Signed and dated: David Roberts R.A. 1851. Inscribed on the back with the name of the artist and the subject.Provenance
Painted for Queen Victoria and given to Prince Albert, 24th May, 1851
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Creator(s)
(artists' materials maker)(nationality)Acquirer(s)
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Medium and techniques
Oil on panel
Measurements
61.0 x 44.9 cm (support, canvas/panel/stretcher external)
84.3 x 68.8 cm (frame, external)
Category
Object type(s)
Other number(s)
Alternative title(s)
Transept of the Crystal Palace on May 1st 1851
Transept of the Great Exhibition, Opening Day, 1st May 1851