Great Exhibition of 1851
Prince Albert took a leading role in the organisation of the Exhibition
SIR MATTHEW DIGBY WYATT (1820-77)
Industrial Arts of the nineteenth century: a series of illustrations of the choicest specimens produced by every nation at the Great Exhibition of Works of Industry
published 1853RCIN 817104
2 volumes of text and illustrations of the exhibits at the 1851 Great Exhibition, including sculpture, metalwork, textiles, porcelain, decorations, and furniture.
The architect Digby Wyatt was Secretary to the Executive Committee of the Commissioners of the Great Exhibition and executant architect for the construction of the Crystal Palace, responsible for realising the outline design of Sir Joseph Paxton. In his capacity as Secretary he was also charged with the arrangement of the exhibits. He published The Industrial Arts in order to reproduce the best objects in the Exhibition by chromolithography. The work, with 160 plates, many depicting groups of objects, was dedicated, by permission, to Prince Albert. This binding, by David Batten, Stationer, Bookseller and Bookbinder, of Clapham Common, who exhibited in the printing, paper and bookbinding class, was itself chosen as an exhibit. It was awarded an Honourable Mention by the Jury, which described Batten’s bindings as ‘elaborately worked, although requiring more careful attention in finishing’.
Text adapted from Victoria & Albert: Art & Love, London, 2010.
The architect Digby Wyatt was Secretary to the Executive Committee of the Commissioners of the Great Exhibition and executant architect for the construction of the Crystal Palace, responsible for realising the outline design of Sir Joseph Paxton. In his capacity as Secretary he was also charged with the arrangement of the exhibits. He published The Industrial Arts in order to reproduce the best objects in the Exhibition by chromolithography. The work, with 160 plates, many depicting groups of objects, was dedicated, by permission, to Prince Albert. This binding, by David Batten, Stationer, Bookseller and Bookbinder, of Clapham Common, who exhibited in the printing, paper and bookbinding class, was itself chosen as an exhibit. It was awarded an Honourable Mention by the Jury, which described Batten’s bindings as ‘elaborately worked, although requiring more careful attention in finishing’.
Text adapted from Victoria & Albert: Art & Love, London, 2010.
