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ON THE TRAIL OF INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
From the Trocadéro Gardens (16th district) to the Town Hall of the 12th district
Whether they were universal (1855, 1878, 1889, 1900) or international (1925 Exhibition of Decorative Arts, 1931 Colonial Exhibition, 1937 Exhibition of Art and Technology), these major exhibitions, which aroused the curiosity of the crowds and inspired the minds of the public, have entered our modern imaginations. It seems that the authorities regularly debated the future of the buildings after each event. It took almost fifty years for the Palais de l’Industrie, constructed for the 1855 Universal Exhibition, to be destroyed. The famous Gallery of Machines built by Ferdinand Dutert survived two exhibitions (1889, 1900) and was only destroyed in 1910. The City of Paris was particularly good at finding a use for its own constructions. One of the two pavilions occupied by the municipal services in 1889 was rebuilt at the end of Rue La Fontaine and housed part of the City’s art collections for almost a century. The 1878 pavilion had a shorter lifespan. It was rebuilt on the side of the Palais de l’Industrie and was the main municipal exhibition gallery until it was demolished just before 1900.
Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that several remnants of these fleeting décors are currently scattered around the city, even though we do not always know why they are there. Their presence is poignant yet necessary, as they invite us to reflect on the passage of time and remind us for an instant of the optimism they brought.
Steps in this Itinerary
curiosite
Jardins du Trocadéro 75016 Paris France
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International Exhibition of Decorative Arts of 1925This resin reproduction of a sculpture by Sarrabezolles (1888-1971), the original of which was d...
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curiosite
Musée d’Orsay 75007 Paris France
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Universal Exhibition of 1878The allegorical figures representing the main parts of the world were placed in front of the Musée d’Orsay in 1986, the...
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curiosite
Square Felix-Desruelle 75006 Paris France
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Universal Exhibition of 1900The colossal glazed stoneware portico was constructed to adorn the façade of the pavilion of the Sèvres pottery factory...
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curiosite
Square Paul-Langevin 75005 Paris France
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Universal Exhibition of 1889 Embedded in the garden wall, three ceramic reliefs (one medallion bearing the name of Ingres and two panels decorated ...
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curiosite
Mairie du 5ème - 21, place du Panthéon 75005 Paris France
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Universal Exhibition of Decorative Arts of 1925Fourteen statues of workers which adorned the Cour des Métiers at the Exhibition of Decorative Arts ...
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curiosite
Square Scipion 75005 Paris France
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Universal Exhibition of 1900This colossal bas-relief created by the sculptor Alexandre Charpentier and made of polychrome stoneware bricks by Emile...
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curiosite
4, rue de la Pierre-Levée 75011 Paris France
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Universal Exhibition of 1878Four ceramic panels, representing Architecture, Sculpture, Painting and Pottery, decorate the base of the façade’s bays...
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curiosite
Jardin de Reuilly 75012 Paris France
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International Exhibition of Arts and Technology of 1937In 1937, the lower squares of Modern Art Museums were redesigned, inspired by Roman villas. ...
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curiosite
Mairie du 12ème - Avenue Daumesnil 75012 Paris France
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International Colonial Exhibition of 1931In 1935, the walls of the Overseas Room (salon des outremers – former colonial room) received a series of ...
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