Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The Paris World's Fair of 1900 (also known as The Exposition Universelle) was held in Paris between 15 April and 12 November. On display were many new inventions: matryoshka dolls, Diesel engines, talking film, and the telegraphone. But more importantly, the architecture and design of this World's Fair brought the wonderful Art Nouveau style into popular culture. These photos and illustrations of the Fair show why the world fell in love with Art Nouveau.

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A view of the Exposition Universelle

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The Eiffel Tower with the Globe Céleste, the icon of the Exposition Universelle

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Crowds arriving at the Place de la Concorde on double deck cars, the monumental gate by Binet

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The Grand Entrance

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

Ancient Paris, a recreation of the medieval Paris and the Palais of the Land and Sea Forces on the other side of the river

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The illuminated Eiffel Tower, erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to a previous World's Fair

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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The Chateau of Water, Palace of Electricity and Palace of Chemical Industries, as seen from and under the Eiffel Tower

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The Avenue Nicholas II

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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The Avenue Nicholas II, looking towards the Dome of the Invalides

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The environs of the Trocadero

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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The Palace Lumineux

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

Champ de Mars

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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A road between pavilions

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The national pavilions

Belgium (left) and Finland (right)

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Germany (left and below) and Sweden (right)

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Italy

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Russia

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The Austro-Hungarian Pavilion

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

United States

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The Dutch East Indies Pavilion, a replica of Candi Sari, a 8th-century Buddhist temple in Indonesia

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Algeria

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Norway

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

(via Societe Anglaise)

Romania

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(via Modernism)

Indo-China

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

(via Exposition Universelle 1900 and belleindochine)

The Le Tour du Monde pavilions displaying a collection of exotic oriental architectures – a Siamese pavilion, a Japanese pagoda and an Indian pavilion.

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

(via Boston College)

Cambodia

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

Sudan and Senegal

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(via Brown University)

The Grand and the Little Palace

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

A Perfumery in the Department of Chemistry

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Inside the Palace of Electricity

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

Inside the La Salle des Fêtes

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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The Palace of Optics

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

Manufacturer's and Liberal Arts Building

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Commercial Navigation Building and Quai d' Orsay, France

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The Commercial Navigation, Industrial Arts, Electrical sections and the main hall in the United States Pavilion

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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A sculpture exhibition at the Grand Palace

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

(via Brown University)

The Palace of Horticulture

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

The Agricultural Section with the shop of Chocolat Menier

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

Palace of Forestry, Hunting, Fishing and Gathering

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

Inside the Hungarian Pavilion

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Palace of Decorative Arts with glass items of Crystallerie de la Pantin, a well-known glass maker

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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A giant telescope in the Palace of Optics

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900
Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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(via Wikimedia Commons 1 – 2)

Cinéorama, an early film experiment by Raoul Grimoin-Sanson. It simulated a ride in a hot air balloon over Paris.

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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The system consisted ten 70mm movie projectors and a 90x9 (295x29.5 ft) metre screens.

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

It lasted only three days, because it was shut down by the police for safety reasons: the projectors lights caused extreme heat.

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

(via Wikimedia Commons)

A moving sidewalk

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

And here's how it moved.

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

A rolling platform 30 ft. above head with steel rails and the sidewalk

Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

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Illustration for article titled How the Paris World's Fair brought Art Nouveau to the Masses in 1900

(via Brown University)

________________________

The photos above are from Brooklyn Museum and The Library of Congress, made by Henry William Goodyear, except when noted otherwise.

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