[Palast der Mechanischen Künste und Lagune auf der Kolumbianischen Weltausstellung, Chicago, Illinois]

Die Kolumbianische Weltausstellung war eine Weltausstellung, die 1893 in Chicago stattfand, um den 400. Jahrestag der Ankunft von Christoph Kolumbus in der Neuen Welt im Jahr 1492 zu feiern. Das ikonische Herzstück der Messe, das große Wasserbecken, stellte die lange Reise dar, die Kolumbus in die Neue Welt unternahm. Die Ausstellung war ein einflussreiches gesellschaftliches und kulturelles Ereignis und hatte tiefgreifende Auswirkungen auf Architektur, sanitäre Einrichtungen, Kunst, Chicagos Selbstverständnis und den amerikanischen Industrieoptimismus.

Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952) was an American photographer who is best known for her pioneering work in the field of architectural and landscape photography. She was born in Grafton, West Virginia, and after studying art and photography in Paris, she returned to the United States and established herself as a successful photographer. Johnston's work focused primarily on architecture, and she photographed many of the most significant buildings and structures of her time. She also photographed landscapes, gardens, and people, and her work often appeared in magazines such as House Beautiful, Ladies' Home Journal, and Country Life. One of Johnston's most notable projects was her documentation of historic architecture in the American South. In 1933, she was commissioned by the Carnegie Corporation to photograph historic homes and buildings in Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. This work resulted in a series of photographs that are now housed in the Library of Congress. Throughout her career, Johnston was also an advocate for women in photography, and she worked to promote the work of other women photographers. She was a founding member of the Women's Professional Photographers' Association and the Photo-Secession, a group of photographers who sought to elevate photography as an art form.