Smirke, Sidney "The Grounds and Buildings of the United States Centennial International Exhibition, May 10th to November 10th 1876"

Sydney Smirke (1798-1877).  “The Grounds and Buildings of the United States Centennial International Exhibition, May 10th to November 10th 1876.” 

Boston: L. Prang, 1876.  17 ¾ x 25 ¾ (image).  Lithograph.  Light water stain bottom left hand margin.  Light mat burn in margins.  Old repaired tears with old tape stains on verso.  Old tape has been removed and old tears repaired with archival tape.  Else, good condition.  Framed.  A/A

Louis Prang was the most successful American publisher of lithographs and chromolithographs partly because he had a good sense of what the general public liked.  One of the most popular subjects for art was views of American scenes, and this charming and detailed image of the Centennial grounds is a fine example of such a view by Prang.  This print is a revised and more detailed version of Smirkes’ rendering initially lithographed by Julius Bien.