Universal exhibitions
The so-called "universal" exhibitions were created to present, in the middle of the industrial revolution, the technical and artistic showcase of different nations. Here is a discovery of the collections put online by the museums of France on this theme, on Joconde, the collective catalogue of museums of France.
Credits: this content was originally published on the Mona Lisa website. It was created in 2004 and updated in 2011 by Jeannette Ivain and Mathilde Huet of the French Museum Service. The records of the cited collections are online on POP, an open heritage platform.
Showing progress to the world
The exhibitions, called "universal" were created to present, in the middle of the industrial revolution, the technical and artistic showcase of different nations.
These exhibitions follow the recommendations defined by the International Bureau of Exhibitions (IBE) created in 1928, which allow us to clearly distinguish the universal exhibitions from more specialized exhibitions (colonial, national, etc.).
The first purpose of these major events is to broadcast in "a principal aim of education for the public, making an inventory of the means available to man to satisfy the needs of a civilization and highlighting in one or more branches of human activity the progress made or the prospects for the future" (Article 1.1 of the 1928 Convention on International Exhibitions, BIE).
The first World’s Fair was held in London in 1851, in Hyde Park, at the Crystal Palace, designed by Joseph Paxton (1801-1865).
Faced with the success of this event, many countries then proposed to organize, in turn, identical exhibitions, aimed at making known to a wide public industrial creation (mainly), applied arts and fine arts.
The artists in competition
The works exhibited were chosen by a jury and had to respond to a proposed theme. Competition was omnipresent, and competitions allowed the most deserving to obtain medals, enjoying a certain prestige.
More than twenty world fairs were held between 1851 and 1935. They were stopped between 1939 and 1957. They have resumed since 1958, but on a more limited frequency.
Works on display
During these exhibitions, works could be purchased by States or by collectors.
The Joconde database lists more than 850 works exhibited to the public among 16 of these universal exhibitions.
- 1851 in London
- 1855 in Paris
- 1862 in London
- 1867 in Paris
- 1873 in Vienna
- 1878 in Paris
- 1885 in Antwerp
- 1889 in Paris
- 1893 in Chicago
- 1900 in Paris
- 1904 in Saint-Louis
- 1905 in Liège
- 1913 in Ghent
- 1935 in Brussels
- 1967 in Montreal
- 1992 in Seville
Related works
The universal exhibitions were the occasion of great architectural works.
Indeed, each country originally had a reserved space in a central pavilion. But from 1867, national pavilions (typical of the architecture of the exhibiting country) appeared.
These universal exhibitions also gave rise to sumptuous commemorations or receptions.
Numerous objects (posters, plates, advertising cards, paintings, photographs, etc.) make it possible to find the "visual" memory of buildings that have disappeared, and activities related to these demonstrations.
The Joconde base offers a number.
List of universal exhibitions held between 1851 and 2010
- 1851 : London
- 1855 : Paris
- 1862 : London
- 1867 : Paris
- 1873 : Vienna
- 1878 : Paris
- 1880 : Melbourne
- 1888 : Barcelona
- 1889 : Paris
- 1893 : Chicago
- 1894 : Antwerp
- 1897 : Brussels
- 1900 : Paris
- 1904 : Saint-Louis
- 1905 : Cork
- 1906 : Milan
- 1909 : Nancy
- 1911 : Charleroi
- 1913 : Ghent
- 1915 : San Francisco
- 1929 : Barcelona
- 1933 : Chicago
- 1935 : Brussels
- 1958 : Brussels
- 1967 : Montreal
- 1970 : Osaka
- 1992 : Seville
- 2000 : Hannover
- 2010 : Shanghai
- 2015 : Milan
- 2020 : Dubai