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William H. Rau
[The official photographic corps of the Universal Exposition of 1904 - hosted by Mr. Rau]
1904 (copyright)
Book illustration
Private collection of Joan Yeckel
LL/46551
The photograph taken for the closing page of The Forest City is 15,055. The serial number means that the 500 views embraced within the covers are selections made from more than 15,000 negatives. Each of these pictures reproduced is the best of thirty taken. There is something more to be said in explanation of what The Forest City stands for. The official photographic corps of the Universal Exposition of 1904 was recruited from the best talent in the profession. The chief of the corps, William H. Rau of Philadelphia, is without superior as an artist in photography. He recruited his staff of nine from the younger but the most promising photographers of the United States. The conclusion of the picture taking for The Forest City was made memorable in a banquet tendered by Mr. Rau to his associates. The picture of the gathering was taken by flashlight. About the table beginning on the left are: Charles G. Anderson, Chicago; James A. Crosby, Chicago; H. A. Ericson, Chicago; W.C. Anderson, Rondo, Va; Ansel E. Wallace, Indianapolis; Harney G. Bair, St. Louis; Charles Spencer, Buffalo; William H. Rau, Philadelphia; Harry H. Howland, Philadelphia; Henry Ritter, Philadelphia. In the work of the official cameras of this Exposition, photography reached the highest degree of artistic and mechanical excellence it has yet attained.
The photograph was published in The Forest City with introduction and text by Walter B. Stevens and photographs by William H. Rau, was published by the N. B. Thompson Publishing Company (1904). THE FOREST CITY contains the official photographic views (all black & white, most 8"x10" in size) of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which was held in St. Louis April 30, 1904-December 1, 1904. The series provides photographs of most major structures and attractions of the 1904 Fair (each photograph is accompanied by approximately one paragraph of descriptive text). The photographs were taken for the most part by William H. Rau, official photographer of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company, organizer of the 1904 Fair.
The photographs were issued so many per week while the Fair was in progress. Often a particular structure or attraction will be featured in more than one photograph issued in a particular week, so it would be wise to examine all the photographs from a particular week to be sure all images of the object of interest have been viewed.
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