Celebrating the Commonsversary of the Brooklyn Museum
Posted by zyrcster in Best of The Commons, News
Brooklyn Museum: S10|08 Gizeh, image 9613
Happy Commonsversary to the Brooklyn Museum. We celebrate with some highlights of the Brooklyn’s collection on Flickr. This iconic lantern slide of an Egyptian Sphinx is rated as their most “interesting” photograph on Flickr:
Taken some time in 1900
#63 in interestingness (on 2008-05-13)
319 people call this photo a favorite
Viewed 15,439 times
Their lantern slides from the Goodyear Collection are their most storied on Flickr. Here are two more of their top photos of Egypt.
 Egypt: Abydos |
 Egypt: Thebes |
Some of the comments these photographs receive are remarkable, demonstrating the power of the Commons to harness the crowds in contributing to the corpus of knowledge about an item. On Egypt: Abydos, Flickr member travelin_g notes,
This temple was started by Seti I, but finished by his son Ramses. Seti insisted on the best artistry possible, while Ramses wanted it finished quickly & cheaply. Compare the carvings above (from the reign of Ramses) to these created under during the reign of his father.
 Paris Exposition: Esplanade des Invalides, Paris, France, 1900 |
 Paris Exposition: Eiffel Tower, Paris, France, 1900 |
The Goodyear Collection also includes slides of the 1900 Paris World’s Exposition, which are another hit with Flickr viewers.
In 1900, Goodyear traveled to the Paris Exposition with photographer Joseph Hawkes. They brought back numerous images from the exposition including street life, vistas, pavilions, statues, and other structures and decorative details.
 World’s Columbian Exposition: Ferris Wheel, Chicago, United States, 1893. |
 World’s Columbian Exposition: Ferris Wheel, Chicago, United States, 1893. |
Also in the Goodyear collection at the Brooklyn Museum are photographs of the incredible 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which we at Indicommons covered extensively here. On Flickr, Madame Maracas joins the conversation about the fair by informing us that
When they were digging the foundation for the [ice] rink they found the foundation for the original Ferris Wheel under what had been a soccer pitch for decades!
 Behind the Scenes: Ron Mueck |
 Annie Leibovitz Members Preview |
While not technically included in the Commons, the museum also uploads behind-the-scenes views and previews of exhibitions and events. It’s a fabulous insight into the people and activities of the museum itself, and you can find it all on Flickr. Enjoy the Brooklyn Museum’s photostream, and let us know your choices for Best Of in the comments here.