John Jabez Edwin Mayall - The Great Exhibition of 1851

The Great Exhibition of 1851

In May 1851, The Great Exhibition of the Art and Industry of All Nations opened at the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London. Over six million people visited the Great Exhibition during the six months it was open. Mayall produced a series of mammoth plates of the Crystal Palace and the exhibition. Thirty-one of Mayall's daguerreotype views of the Great Exhibition were copied and engraved and proved over a third of the illustrations published in John Tallis & Company's "History and Description of the Crystal Palace and the Exhibition of the World's Industry".

Six nations: the United States, Englan, France, Italy, Germany and Austria exhibited 700 daguerrotypes in a special section of the Great Exhibition devoted to Daguerreotypes and Calotypes. It is considered the first international photography competition. Mayall exhibited 72 daguerreotypes in the photographic section and he received an Honourable Mention in the jury's official report on the photographic exhibits. Three of the five medals awarded to daguerreotypes went to the Americans Matthew Brady, Martin M Lawrence and John A Whipple.

Horace Greeley, then editor of the New York Tribune, wrote from London: "In Daguerreotypes it seems to be conceded that we beat the world where excellence and cheapness is both considered - at all events, England is no where in comparison".

The Illustrated London News review of the daguerreotype exhibits at the Great Exhibition singled out both Antoine Claudet and John Mayall in the English section of the exhibition: "Whilst stating that the Americans have surpassed all nations in the production of Daguerreotypes, it must not be understood that the English are much deficient in this brand of art. Mons. Claudet has exhibited a very fine collection. Mr. Mayall, who, perhaps must be regarded as an American, has also a good display." Mayall received an "Honourable Mention" for the daguerreotypes he exhibited at the Crystal Palace and looking back over Mayall's career nearly thirty years later the "Photographic News" stated that the pictures he showed at the Great Exhibition "brought him to the front rank."