| 1855Paris | |
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| Overview | |
| BIE-class | Universal exposition |
| Category | Historical Expo |
| Name | Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855 |
| Building(s) | Palais de l'Industrie |
| Area | 15.2 hectares (38 acres) |
| Visitors | 5,162,330 |
| Participant(s) | |
| Countries | 27 |
| Location | |
| Country | France |
| City | Paris |
| Venue | Jardins des Champs-Élysées |
| Coordinates | 48°52′0″N2°18′47″E / 48.86667°N 2.31306°E /48.86667; 2.31306 |
| Timeline | |
| Opening | 15 May 1855 (1855-05-15) |
| Closure | 15 November 1855 (1855-11-15) |
| Universal expositions | |
| Previous | Great Exhibition inLondon |
| Next | 1862 International Exhibition inLondon |
TheExposition Universelle of 1855 (French pronunciation:[ɛkspozisjɔ̃ynivɛʁsɛl]), better known in English as the1855 Paris Exposition, was aworld's fair held on theChamps-Élysées inParis,France, from 15 May to 15 November 1855. Its full official title was theExposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855.[1] It was thefirst of ten major expositions held in the city between 1855 and 1937.[a] Nowadays, the exposition's sole physical remnant is theThéâtre du Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées, designed by architectGabriel Davioud, which originally housed the Panorama National.
The exposition was a major event inFrance, then newly under the reign ofEmperorNapoleon III.[2] It followedLondon'sGreat Exhibition of 1851 and attempted to surpass that fair'sCrystal Palace with its ownPalais de l'Industrie.
The arts displayed were shown in a separate pavilion onAvenue Montaigne.[3] There were works from artists from 29 countries, including French artistsFrançois Rude,Ingres,Delacroix[3] andHenri Lehmann,[4] and British artistsWilliam Holman Hunt andJohn Everett Millais.[3] However,Gustave Courbet, having had several of his paintings rejected, exhibited in a temporaryPavillon du Réalisme adjacent to the official show.
According to its official report, 5,162,330 visitors attended the exposition, of whom about 4.2 million entered the industrial exposition and 900,000 entered the Beaux Arts exposition.[1] Expenses amounted to upward of $5,000,000, while receipts were scarcely one-tenth of that amount. The exposition covered 16 hectares (40 acres) with 34 countries participating.[1]
For the exposition, Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's bestBordeaux wines which were to be on display for visitors from around the world. Brokers from the wine industry ranked the wines according to a château's reputation and trading price, which at that time was directly related to quality. The result was the importantBordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.[5]
The 1855 exposition featured many early versions of modern inventions. The exposition featured the first everlawn mower, Moore'swashing machine, the first non-industrialsewing machine, one of the first oil-powered vehicles,Samuel Colt’s revolver, andEdouard Loysel de Santais’ hydrostatic percolator which could produce 50,000 cups of coffee in a day.[6]
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