The 1939 World's Fair in New York City celebrated the future—“The World of Tomorrow”—while also commemorating the one-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of George Washington's inauguration as first president of the United States. (His swearing-in ceremony had taken place in the city.) This essay examines the odd juxtaposition of imagery depicting both events on a blue-and-white transfer-printed ceramic souvenir plate from the fair. In the central portion of the plate, a god-like Washington, seen from behind, stands on a neoclassical balcony gazing out over the fairgrounds toward the iconic Trylon and Perisphere; around the rim small illustrations show several of the significant structures at the fair. Using the plate as a starting point, this essay considers the contemporary significance of and enduring interest in the fair. It explores the role of food and food-related displays at the fair, and it offers an explanation for the style and form of this particular plate, and other souvenir plates, intended for display yet also referencing the everyday functionality of the common household dinner plate.
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November 2012
Research Article|
November 01 2012
A 1939 World's Fair Souvenir Plate
shax riegler
shax riegler
shax riegler is the author of Dish: 813 Colorful, Wonderful Dinner Plates (Artisan, 2011) and the features editor at House Beautiful. He has worked as an editor at House & Garden, Martha Stewart Living, Travel & Leisure, and Vogue. He is also currently working toward a Ph.D. at the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture.
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Gastronomica (2012) 12 (4): 8–10.
Citation
shax riegler; A 1939 World's Fair Souvenir Plate. Gastronomica 1 November 2012; 12 (4): 8–10. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/GFC.2012.12.4.8
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