Commented by: Susana Stussi Garcia
Throughout the second half of the 19th century, Paris hosted several World fairs, during which the French capital commanded the undivided attention of the world. These events chiefly celebrated the economic and industrial power of participant nations, but quickly became privileged spaces of scientific exchange (Ageorges 2006, Carré et al. 2012) and of representation of the “Other” (Demeulenaere-Douyère 2010). For its predominantly European public, World fairs became windows to faraway, exotic horizons.