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1934 Varin Birds-Eye View of Lake Shore Drive in 1889 and 1934
WaterTowerView-sundaytribune-1934$187.50
Title
A Bird's-Eye View of Lake Shore Drive Chicago 1883 From the top of the Water Tower. Looking toward the Drive, 1934: A Present-Day View from the Water Tower.
1934 (dated) 20.25 x 15.5 in (51.435 x 39.37 cm)
1934 (dated) 20.25 x 15.5 in (51.435 x 39.37 cm)
Description
This is a 1934 Chicago Sunday Tribune bird's-eye view of Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. The two separate views, presented on a single broadsheet, both look north on Lake Shore Drive from the Water Tower, but at different points in history, 1889 and 1934, respectively. The upper view is an aquatint issued by Raoul Varin in 1889. The bottom view is a photograph taken by the Tribune from the Water Tower in 1934. The differences provide an striking visual summary of Chicago's urban progression during the first few decades of the 20th century.
The Chicago Water Works
Located on modern-day Michigan Avenue (Pine Street in 1868), the stone Water Tower and the pump house survived the Great Chicago Fire of October 8-10, 1871. It stands 182.5 feet tall and while it was operational housed a 138-foot high standpipe. When Pine Street was widened in 1918, the plans were revised to give the Water Tower and the Chicago Avenue Pumping Station a featured location.Publication History
This broadsheet bearing two fantastic views of Lake Shore Drive was published in the Picture Section of the January 28, 1934 edition of the Chicago Sunday Tribune.CartographerS
Raoul Varin (1865 - 1943) was a French watercolorist active in Europe and the North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Varin exhibited in the Salon of French Artists and received an honorable mention in 1892. He is most famous for his historic Chicago aquatint views, of which he produced some 31 between 1926 and 1932. The collection included historic views drawn from early sources as current views of Chicago as Raoul saw it. Some were engraved by Ernest Byfield, who was the initial publisher of the series. Later, after Byfield went bankrupt, publication was taken over by A. Ackermann and Son's Chicago office. Buoyed by the success of his Chicago series, Varin went on to produce a series of 'Old New York', images, but these did not attain the same level of popularity. More by this mapmaker...
Ackermann (1795 - 199x) was a British publishing firm founded by Rudolph Ackermann (April 20, 1764 - March 30, 1834). First known as R. Ackermann and Company, Ackermann's three sons took over the business when their father retired. The firm was known as A. Ackermann and Son in the early 20th century and had offices in London, Paris, New York, and Chicago. Their New York office was exceptionally prolific, issuing work for both the private and government sectors. Ackermann was acquired in late 1990s and the imprint resurrected. Learn More...
Condition
Good. Newsprint. Exhibits loss at fold intersection. Fold separation along right side. Complete Chicago Sunday Tribune picture section from January 28, 1934.