This miniature plaster sculpture kit was used in Europe to promote the 1893 Columbian Exposition. The kit contains carvings, sculpture molds, and decorative elements that reflected the Columbian Exposition’s Neoclassical design. Neoclassical architecture was a revival of Classical Greek and Roman architecture during the middle of the 18th century that included simplistic and symmetrical elements. This type of architecture was developed in response to the opulent and excess of Baroque and Rococo design. A few molds included in the kit are for bas-reliefs and caryatids. Bas-reliefs are a type of design or figure projecting from a surrounding flat surface. A caryatid is a sculped female figure which is made to support a horizontal beam. Bas-reliefs and caryatids are major elements found in Classical and Neoclassical Architecture.

The Neoclassical buildings at the exposition included symmetrical structures, simple geometric forms, statues, dramatic columns, and a preference for blank white walls. During construction, the main buildings were covered in a mixture of cement, plaster, and fiber, called staff, and were then painted white. The white exterior of the buildings along with the beautiful architecture helped give the exposition its name the “White City.” Today, many Neoclassical architectural elements from the 1893 Columbian Exposition can still be seen on the exterior of the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry’s building, which includes 24 caryatids and numerous bas-reliefs.