The Inauguration of the Great Exhibition, 1 May 1851 1854

Curator: Well, here we are face to face with David Roberts' painting, "The Inauguration of the Great Exhibition, 1 May 1851." It was painted three years later, in 1854, using oil on canvas. I must say, seeing it reproduced just doesn't capture the immensity. What's your take? Editor: My first impression? Dazzling...and dizzying. The scale is enormous, yet all those tiny figures are meticulously rendered. It's like a cathedral dedicated to industry. There's a sense of organized chaos, and for whom are the participants showing off? Curator: Ah, organized chaos is a spot-on description. Roberts beautifully captured this monument of Victorian ambition: The Crystal Palace. And that question of ‘for whom' hangs heavily in the air. Editor: Indeed. This feels like a meticulously staged performance. Who’s being represented in this painting, and who’s been left out of the frame? This was a celebration of British industrial might, but built upon colonial extraction. Does Roberts confront that inherent tension or simply glorify the spectacle? Curator: I think it’s both, in a way. Roberts, he was captivated by spectacle. Remember, he made his name with theatrical sets! But look at the light streaming through that glass ceiling, a genuine innovation then, illuminating the figures in almost an ethereal glow. There is an ideal of Victorian society being presented. Editor: True. And that architectural structure - The Crystal Palace - a celebration of new building practices enabled by industrial might! The grandeur of the setting emphasizes a particular worldview: progress as synonymous with imperial dominance. This reminds me of some discussions around world fairs. Curator: You've pinpointed something key there: the connection to progress. It makes one reflect about it now. Is what feels inevitable to the contemporary crowd actually masking the exploitation which will follow it? Editor: Precisely! This painting provides us a crucial window to look at Victorian England—celebrating what they see as progress but unable to imagine where those actions will eventually lead. I'd really love to spend time analyzing the details on the left! Curator: Well, perhaps the viewers will continue our investigation…I am struck by Roberts' ability to convey the sheer spectacle. It seems a very strange sight to a contemporary crowd. Editor: And I think considering its place within historical discourses of colonialism adds such needed nuance! Thank you!