Studies of Hands for Dome of Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, IL

J. Carroll Beckwith's preparatory drawings demonstrate the rigorous anatomical study required for monumental public art. These hand studies—rendered in graphite with careful attention to gesture, musculature, and foreshortening—were created as research for the decorative program of the World's Columbian Exposition. The varied poses and positions reflect Beckwith's academic training and his need to resolve compositional challenges for the dome's architectural surfaces. Such sketches were essential working documents for muralists tasked with creating allegorical imagery celebrating American industry and progress at the 1893 fair.