CHICAGO FIRE PANORAMA/Geo.E.Watson & Co.
I am writing the first book from the American point of view about 19th century rotunda panoramas.These were the biggest paintings in the world,50 x 400=20,000 square feet, housed in their own rotundas which were 16-sided polygons. Chicago in 1893 had 6 panorama companies and 6 panorama rotundas .A booklet available on-line,"A Story of The Chicago Fire" by Rev.David Swing(copyright 1892 by H.H.Gross)served as the exhibition catalog for the CHICAGO FIRE panorama, located on Michigan between Madison and Monroe.Page 36:"The supplies,brushes,and tube colors were furnished by the popular firm of Geo.E.Watson & Co., of this city."Page 44 features an ad for Geo.E.Watson Co.I wonder if any correspondence survives concerning the CHICAGO FIRE panorama and/or any other panorama in connection to Geo E Watson & Co. I have much info to share.