Exposition Universelle (1855)
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The Exposition Universelle of 1855 was a World's Fair held in Paris. It followed by four years London's Great Exhibition and attempted to rival and top that fair, which produced The Crystal Palace, with a Palais d'Industrie. It was a major event in France, which was newly under the control of Emperor Napoleon III.
For the Exposition, Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines which were to be on display for visitors from around the world. Brokers from the wine industry ranked the wines according to a château's reputation and trading price, which at that time was directly related to quality. The result was the important Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
This exposition began on May 15 and continued to November 15, 1855, during which time the visitors numbered about four and a-half millions. The industrial and art exhibits shown on this occasion were considered superior to those of all previous exhibitions. The expenses amounted to upward of $5,000,000, while the receipts were scarcely one-tenth of that amount.
- This article incorporates text from an edition of the New International Encyclopedia that is in the public domain.
| Preceded by The Great Exhibition |
World Expositions 1855 |
Succeeded by 1862 International Exhibition |
