Collection Highlights
Flags on 57th Street, Winter of 1918
1918
1984.68
Oil on canvas
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Museum Collections
Decorative Arts
Scarf: New York Worlds Fair, 1939
Title
Scarf: New York Worlds Fair, 1939
Object name
Kerchief
Date
1939
Medium
Rayon
Dimensions
Overall: 27 x 27 in. ( 68.6 x 68.6 cm )
Description
Rayon printed kerchief of the Constitution Mall at the 1939 New York World's Fair with the U.S. Government Building, the Lagoon of Nations and most prominently the statue of George Washington; printed in grey, green, chartreuse, blue and yellow; green border.
Credit Line
Purchase
Object Number
1944.272
Marks
printed: all over: "1789 NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1939/ UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERMENT BUILDING/ TEMPLE OF RELIGION/ FOR ALL WHO WORSHIP GOD/ AND PRIZE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM/ LAGOON OF NATIONS/ COURT OF PEACE/ FREEDOM SQUARE/ RELIGION/ PETITION & ASSEMBLY/ PRESS/ ..."
printed: on Washington's base: "THE PRESEVATION OF THE/ SACRED FIRE OF LIBERTY/ AND DESTINY OF THE/ REPUBLICAN MODEL OF/ GOVENMENT ARE JUSTLY/ CONSIDERED AS ** STAKED/ ON THE EXPERIMENT IN-/ TRUSTED TO THE HANDS/ OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE/ WASHINGTON/ INAUGURAL ADDRESS"
printed: on label: "CONSTITUTION MALL/ This esplanade, main artery of the New York World's Fair/ is one half mile long; from Theme Center (the Trylon and Perisphere)/ to the Federal Government Building. Waterfalls, fountains, trees/ and creative talents of our leading sculptors line the mall./ ..."
Gallery Label
The 1939 New York World's Fair opened on the 150th anniversary of George Washington's inauguration as President, with a reenactment of his arrival to New York City in 1789. The sculpture depicted on the kerchief was intended to look as he appeared as he took his oath of office.
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
