A Garden of Many Visual Delights: The Panorama of the Antwerp Zoological Garden (1881-1905)

This article looks at the genesis and reception of the Panorama of the Battle of Wörth, which opened at the Antwerp Zoological Garden in Belgium in 1881. It was an initiative of the Antwerp Panorama Society in close collaboration with the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (the private society behind the Antwerp Zoo). The canvas was painted by Alfred Cluysenaar (1837-1902). I will argue that its embedment in the zoological garden is a crucial factor in our understanding of the panorama as part of a rich and diverse (visual) entertainment culture. There are many connections between zoological gardens and panoramas, both historically and ontologically. As several examples illustrate, panoramas have often been found in the vicinity of zoological gardens. Not unlike the zoo itself, the panorama functioned as a site of public education as well as exotic spectacle. The article will discuss the tensions between the battle panorama and its setting in the zoological garden. It is in this context that the notion of irony is explored.

Publication year:2020

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