(City Plans - Chicago)BURNHAM, Daniel H. and Edward H. BENNETT.   PLAN OF CHICAGO.   Prepared Under The Direction Of The Commercial Club During The Years MCMVI, MCMVII, And MCMVIII.       Chicago: The Commercial Club,   1909.          First edition. No. 925 of 1650 copies. Burnham and Bennett's PLAN OF CHICAGO was probably the most important and influential publication in the history of American city planning. It represented the ultimate expression of the City Beautiful movement (whose first great impetus may be traced to Burnham's work on the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893). It was the first broadly conceived regional plan for a major metropolitan area of its size, and of all such plans produced since its appearance the Chicago Plan may be said to have been the most fully implemented. Its scope and moment in history made it more a work of vision and genius than of precedent and norm, while the great civic movement which arose in its support and carried forth its execution was a phenomenon nearly as significant as the plan itself. The large printed volume's most striking visual feature is the series of dramatic and sometimes impressionistic color drawings by the noted French artist Jules Guerin which depict the futuristic city envisioned by the plan. The text, edited by Charles Moore, provides an equally impressive verbal picture of the Chicago of the future. Although most easily characterised by the primarily aesthetic objectives of its neo-classical uniformity of style, monumental scale and thoroughly architectural conception of Chicago as the "City Beautiful,' Burnham and Bennett's plan nevertheless proposed major changes to the highway and transportation systems of the metropolis as well as other significant urban improvements focused on the commercial and economic growth of the city. These things all help make THE PLAN OF CHICAGO one of those rare books which have taken on a significance outside the discipline which engendered them and have come to be recognized as unique and profound expressions of their place and age.   Quarto (31 x 24 cm); xx + 165 pp. + frontispiece + 24 plates with 142 illustrations from drawings, plans and photographs, many folding and/or in color.            Original cloth lightly worn at extremities and spine ends; spine faded; with small rubber stamp of an architect's library on title and limitation pages and on one random page, not touching text; else a very good copy. $1,000.00

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