Benguiat sits near a young man, who is likely his son Mordecai, in the pavilion he built at the Saint Louis fair to display his collections and wares. It was a common practice at the American and European world’s fairs to present non-Western cultures in patronizing terms, as colorful, romantic, backward, and a bit outlandish. Benguiat, a savvy merchant, consciously used his imposing appearance and eye-catching dress to attract the attention of visitors.