Gezicht op het Grand Basin (of: Lagoon) op het terrein van de wereldtentoonstelling in St. Louis (Louisiana Purchase Exposition), 1904, met links Electricity Palace 1904

This photograph by Jan Schüller captures the Grand Basin at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Note the Electricity Palace on the left. World's Fairs were meticulously staged to showcase progress, particularly that of industrial technology, and to promote social harmony. This fair commemorated the Louisiana Purchase, marking a century of westward expansion. Schüller's choice to feature the Electricity Palace underscores the era's fascination with technological advancement. Yet, we should remember that this narrative of progress often masked the realities of racial segregation and colonial expansion, themes notably absent in this photograph. To fully understand this image, we can delve into archival materials, such as official fair publications and contemporary newspaper accounts. These can reveal the complex interplay of commerce, culture, and ideology that shaped events like the St. Louis World's Fair. This helps us to appreciate the contingent relationship between art, society, and institutions.