Created for the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900, this original poster entitled Paris, Capitale du Monde Civilisé presents the French capital as the symbolic centre of international culture, technology and progress. The poster was printed in chromolithography by Cassan Fils in Toulouse.
A sweeping bird’s-eye panorama depicts the exhibition grounds extending along the River Seine. The Eiffel Tower rises in the distance, surrounded by monumental palaces, bridges, gardens and temporary national pavilions constructed for the event. The detailed architecture and softly graduated colours capture the spectacular scale of the World’s Fair at the height of the Belle Époque.
In the foreground, visitors representing numerous countries are shown wearing national or traditional dress. Their animated gestures and richly coloured costumes form an international procession overlooking Paris. This theatrical arrangement was intended to communicate the global reach of the exhibition and France’s ambition to present its capital as a meeting place for the world.
The Exposition Universelle of 1900 celebrated achievements in science, industry, architecture and the decorative arts, attracting tens of millions of visitors. The poster’s title and its representation of different cultures also reflect the Eurocentric and colonial attitudes of the period, giving the work considerable historical value as a document of how international exhibitions presented the world at the beginning of the twentieth century.
With its panoramic composition, architectural detail and remarkable range of colours, this original 1900 poster is highly appealing to collectors of World’s Fair material, Parisian history and Belle Époque imagery. It would make an impressive decorative centrepiece for a library, office or interior devoted to travel, architecture and French cultural history.
Original Poster
Exhibition - Paris
Universal exhibition of 1900
Cassan Fils Toulouse
Good condition, soiling
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