One of several enterprising men inspired by the huge economic success of John Bavard's 1846 panorama of the Mississippi River, Dr. Montroville Wilson Dickeson hired itinerant artist John J. Egan to turn the sketches of the region made during his extensive amateur archaeological investigations in the early 1840s into a commercially successful product.
The only known survivor of Bavard's five known competitors, the 348 foot long panorama was acquired by the Saint Louis Art Museum in 1952 but at the time didn't have a suitable space to display it. However that changed when the museum expanded its exhibition space and the painting was restored and is currently on display, one panel at a time due to its fragility, in the Sculpture Hall.
[John J. Egan, American (born Ireland), 1810–1882; Panorama of the Monumental Grandeur of the Mississippi Valley (scene 20 of 25), c.1850; tempera on lightweight fabric; 90 in. x 348 ft. (228.6 x 10607.1 cm); Saint Louis Art Museum, Eliza McMillan Trust 34:1953]
As you can see in this 1851 poster, Dr. Dickeson used the panorama as a backdrop to his lectures which were touted as "worth alone, double the price of admission."
[Monumental Grandeur of the Mississippi Valley! : Now Exhibiting for a Short Time Only … this Gorgeous Panorama, with All the Aboriginal Monuments … Painted by the Eminent Artist I. J. Egan…. Newark, N.J.: Printed at the Mercury Office, ca. 1851. Princeton University - Western Americana Collection: (WA) E78.M75 M65e]
For a much closer look at this "Gorgeous Panorama" here's a very fine analysis by the blog Paleo Porch which includes many details that aren't visible in the youtube video.
This amazing view of the Mississippi River Valley also qualifies as a Fantastic Find.
© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.
What an undertaking! 348 feet, that's, like, yuge! Shows you how badly wrong things can go in a hundred years, especially if you're a native american. I will go look at the paleo porch ....
ReplyDeletebonnie