The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 15 April to 12 November 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next. The style that was universally present in the Exposition was Art Nouveau. The fair displayed, in view of over 50 million people, many machines, inventions, and architecture that are now nearly universally known, including; escalators, the Eiffel Tower, Ferris wheels, Russian nesting dolls, Diesel engines, talking films, and the telegraphone (the precursor to modern-day sound recording).
Paris Exposition Champ de Mars and Eiffel Tower, Paris, France, 1900.
The birth of the first International Exhibition in 1855 was fueled by a desire to re-establish pride and faith in each nation after a period of war. The succession of exhibitions followed in the same pattern; the regeneration of nationality after war. Eight years before the launch of the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle the Republic of France announced the exhibition to be one which welcomed and celebrated the coming of a new century. Countries from around the world were invited by France to showcase their achievements and lifestyles; the Exposition Universelle was a uniting and learning experience. It presented the opportunity for foreigners to realize the similarities between nations as well as the unique differences. New cultures were experienced and an overall better understanding of the values each country had to offer was gained. The learning atmosphere aided in the attempts to increase cultural tolerance, necessary after a period of war. The early announcement and the massively positive response disenchanted the interest that had been circling around the first German International Exposition. The support for the exhibition was widespread, countries immediately began to plan their exhibits, but despite the enthusiasm the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle was not a financial success as only two thirds of the expected public was in attendance. It is suspected that the Exposition Universelle did not do as financially well as expected because the general public did not have the funds to participate in the fair.
The American pavilion, contrastingly, attracted negative interest among those that were not from the United States. The exhibit, a post office inspired building resembling the structures of Chicago, became a base for American visitors and offered little for foreigners to enjoy. American Loie Fuller performed shows in her own theatre, a dance routine aided by coloured lights and costume. Fuller's intention was to bring the Art Nouveau female, Salomé, to life. Fuller's performance helped introduce revolutionary audio-visual entertainment precursors of early motion picture equipment. Fuller was filmed on ten 70mmm projectors that created a three hundred and thirty degree picture, patented Cinéorama. Cinéorama used ``handcoloured films, phonograph music and live commentary`` to bring to life Loie Fuller as the Art Nouveau figure, Salomé.