Dennis Lyall (American, B. 1946) "Nation Celebrates Centennial 1876" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Canvas board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood Commerative Cover for Old Glory's Proudest Moments postmarked on the anniversary July 4, 2002. On May 10, 1876, the United States celebrated its 100th Anniverary at the nation's first international exposition in Philadelphia where more than 30,000 exhibits from 50 nations were displayed. Americans reveled in exotic displays sent by foreign countries such as stuffed crocodiles from Egypt, a model of a pagoda from China, and beehives from England. America's 38 states were also represented at the fair, where the Yankee penchant for invention and industry was expressed in seven major categories: mining and metallurgy, manufactured products, science and education, fine arts, machinery, agriculture and horticulture. Of all the exhibits, machines and inventions were the most popular. Crowds were amazed at working models of such fascinating inventions as the continuous-web printing press, self-binding reaper, typewriter, telephone, Westinghouse air brake, refrigerator car, and Thomas Edison's duplex telegraph. But the Double Corliss Engine was the big hit of the Exposition. Dwarfing fair visitors, this 70-foot tall, 1400-horsepower monolith invented by George Corliss was the largest steam engine in the world and powered all the exhibits in Machinery Hall. Standing on a platform 56 feet across, its two cylinders spun a flywheel 30 feet in diameter and weighing 56 tons. American author William Dean Howells wrote of such phenomena: "In these things of iron and steel the national genius speaks." Image Size: 15 x 12.75 in. Overall Size: 18.5 x 16 in. Unframed. (B17005) See More