The International exhibition in Paris or ‘Exhibition Universelle, 1889’ was a world fair held in Paris from May-October 1889 and designed by architect Ferdinand Dutert and engineer Victor Contamin (Garland 1893). Chicago world fair 1893 or ‘World’s Columbian Exposition’ was designed by John Wellborn Root, Daniel Burnham and Frederick Law Olmsted (Langmead, Garnaut 2001).
The exposition Paris consisted of machinery pavilion made of steel arches, electric railcar and Edison’s incandescent lamps (4th Paris international exposition). The Chicago brought many revolutionizing components in technology and innovative entertainments of America. The Columbian was in the form of ‘the white city’. The key attractions were Liberal arts building, wild-west show, the women’s building, electricity building and transportation buildings. The midway plaisance, cold storage building and the Ferris wheel were two of the important feature of the exhibition (1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition).
There were different expositions held after 1851, in which Exposition Universelle was the most successful one. Eiffel Tower was the most prominent architecture. There were two sites: colonial exhibits and the fine arts and industrial exhibits. Eiffel tower received a huge amount of criticism as well; after the tower, The Palais des-Beaux- arts, Palais des Arts Liberaux, Galerie des machines and Palais des expositions were the main buildings of the exposition (Tholozany 2011).
The expositions changed the physical city bringing a doorway to both Republican elites to make changed in industrial order. Eiffel Tower brought third republic open-ended chances. Lockroy interpreted the “Eiffel Tower and her immense spire, buried in the clouds, consisting of a symbolic quality” (Levin 1989). Both of the exhibitions possess few basic similarities. First, both of them showcased a set of different architectural buildings. Both of them are exhibitions which became famous among all of the exhibits of that era. There were many critics regarding both of the exhibits. First, the buildings had various unclear architectural elements. Fournel considered expositions to be a dangerous element affecting modernity symptoms of America which can affect exhibitionay mentality. A plus point is considered to be the presentation of architectural modern mass production which took architect to a higher value. The buildings were bringing complete devoid of historical meaning in the exhibit. Both of the exhibits elevated the role of mediation between governments and governed. The visual techniques of both exhibitions brought seductive technique in architect, which continued for rest of nineteenth century (Gralton, ch 07)
Both of the exhibitions played a significant role in setting up new basis to architectural presence and innovation for the coming centuries and laid new basis to architect and designing in the American history. The revolution won out at the end due to the heroic monument of revolution. The Eiffel Tower “gave people of France a heroic monument to the vindication of Revolution” (Chandler 1986).
Works Cited
Levin, Miriam R. When the Eiffel Tower Was New: French Visions of Progress at the Centennial of the Revolution. South Hadley, MA: Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, 1989. Print.
"Fourth Paris International Exposition of 1889." Fourth Paris International Exposition of 1889. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
"Paris: Capital of the 19th Century." Paris: Capital of the 19th Century. Web. 17 Feb. 2016. "Paris 1889 Exposition." Arthur Chandler. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
L, Elizabeth M., Gralton. "Lust of the Eyes: The Anti-Modern Critique of Visual Culture at the Paris Expositions Universelles, 1855-1900." H-france. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Garland, Hamlin. "World's Columbian Exposition: The Official Fair--A History." World's Columbian Exposition: The Official Fair--A History. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Langmead, Donald. Encyclopedia of Architectural and Engineering Feats. Print.
