[The Colossal Head of Bavaria in the Nave of the Crystal Palace]
Philip Henry Delamotte British
Not on view
The original Crystal Palace was built in 1851 to house "The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations," a mammoth exposition of technological marvels and art treasures from around the world. The magnificent iron and glass structure proved so popular with spectators that it was dismantled after the fair and rebuilt in Sydenham, south of London, where it was used as a museum and concert hall. Delamotte was on hand in 1854 to document the reconstruction of the Crystal Palace, which was destroyed by fire in 1936.