World's Fair Bison

In preparation for the World’s Columbian Exposition to be held in Chicago’s Jackson Park in 1893, Edward Kemeys, with the help of fellow artist Alexander Phimister Proctor, created dozens of larger-than-life-sized plaster sculptures of North American wildlife. Since these animal creations—like the fair’s buildings—were meant to be temporary, they were made of plaster as opposed to the more traditional medium of bronze. At the time, both Kemeys and Proctor were known for their realistic portrayals of wildlife, both having spent a considerable amount of time in the American West studying their subjects in their natural habitats. Two of the dozens of plaster sculptures that the artists created for the World’s Columbian Exposition were bison. The two were similar, but not identical. One was a male named “Prairie King” and the other a female called “Sound of the Whoop.” During the fair, the bison pair stood in front of the Stock Exhibit. 

Roughly a decade and a half after the close of the World’s Columbian Exposition, the general superintendent and chief landscape architect of the West Park Commission, Jens Jensen, organized outdoor art exhibits in the city’s Garfield and Humboldt Parks. For the exhibits, he acquired smaller, life-sized plaster maquettes of sculptures that were on display at the World’s Columbian Exposition and pieces that were at the Art Institute of Chicago. Jensen installed the maquettes of the World’s Fair bison at the entrance to Garfield Park’s formal garden, facing South Hamlin Boulevard. In Humboldt Park, he installed smaller models of Bulls with Maidens, a pair of sculptures designed by artists Daniel Chester French and Edward C. Potter. In 1911, after the close of the outdoor art exhibits in Garfield and Humboldt Parks, the West Park Commissioners hired Jules Bercham to cast both pairs of maquettes in bronze. After they were cast, both were reinstalled in their respective Chicago public parks.

The two sets of bronze sculptures, however, did not remain at their respective sites for long. By the summer of 1915, they had swapped locations. The bronze bison had been reinstalled at the entrance to the formal garden in Humboldt Park, while the bronze bulls and their maidens had been placed at the entrance to Garfield Park’s formal garden. No evidence survives today to explain why the two sets of bronze sculptures traded places. Despite this, one aspect of the bison sculptures seems clear: Jensen placed them facing into Humboldt Park’s formal garden with their backs to the street (just as the bulls and maidens had been positioned before) so that visitors could view them from inside the garden. 

"The World's Fair Bison of Humboldt Park." Urban Explorer: Travel Insights for the Culturally Curious. 9 February 2021. Web. 28 March 2021 <https://urbnexplorer.com/2021/02/09/the-worlds-fair-bison-of-humboldt-park/>.

"World's Fair Bison." Chicago Park District. City of Chicago. Web. 28 March 2021 <https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/worlds-fair-bison>.

"World's Fair Bison." Chicago Public Art: One of the Most Comprehensive Guides to Outdoor Public Art in the City of Chicago. Web. 28 March 2021 <http://chicagopublicart.blogspot.com/2013/08/worlds-fair-bison.html>.