Gezicht op het paviljoen van de Merchant Taylors' Company op de World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 1893

Charles Dudley Arnold captured the Merchant Taylors' Company pavilion at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 through photography. This event, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a stage for nations to display their cultural and industrial achievements. The Merchant Taylors' Company, a London-based guild with roots in the medieval era, constructed their pavilion in the Fair's neoclassical style. The building reflects the Company's long-standing role in commerce and trade. While the Fair celebrated progress, it occurred during a period marked by social disparities and colonial expansion. The architecture and displays often conveyed a sense of Western dominance, sidelining other narratives. The pavilion, with its imposing columns, mirrors the Company's established status, yet it also invites us to reflect on the legacy of such institutions. What does it mean to showcase a company with ties to historical power structures in an event meant to celebrate global unity? This image encourages us to consider the complex interplay between identity, history, and representation.