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Copyright: L'Illustration, Nr. 1272, 13.7.1867, S. 21f

On 1 July 1867, three months after the opening of the exposition, the festive presentation of orders, medals and other awards by Emperor Napoleon took place. This "highlight of the exhibition" was designated officially as the "fête de la paix" – peace festival, for which the exhibition management even had a peace hymn composed. The poets Coppée and Chouquet won the associated competition, in which 200 poets had competed.

The exhibition palace for the 1855 World Exposition on the Champs Elysée had been magnificently decorated for the occasion, with drapes, carpets, flowers, gold ornamentation and flags. Representing the ten exposition groups, ten trophies composed of emblems and products were displayed in the centre of the hall, and between these trophies stood benches for the prize winners. On the longitudinal side, there was an estrade with three settees for the emperor, the empress and the sultan who happened to be there at the time. To the left and right of these, the imperial family and the foreign princes and princesses were seated on velvet chairs. Beneath the imperial estrade sat the ministers and the members of the imperial French exposition commission. On the opposite side a grandstand for the diplomatic corps was erected, directly alongside the seats for the international commission.

Two galleries were reserved for the approximately 18,000 spectators. The 1,200 strong orchestra played Gluck´s Iphigenie in Aulis before the arrival of the imperial court. After the entry of the emperor and his retinue, the tones of the hymn À Napoleon III et son veillant peuple, specially composed by Rossini for the occasion, resounded around the hall. There then followed the speech of Minister Rouher to the emperor, who in turn replied with his speech on the prize-giving. The highlight of the event was the award of the total number of 19,776 prizes, of which 10,103 were given to French exhibitors. The president of the jury conducted the prize-winners past the estrade, where they bowed before the emperor and received their awards, while their names were read out by Rouher. At the conclusion of this festive ceremony, which contemporary reports celebrated as the "Culmination point of the great peace and labour festival", the court and its entourage conducted a procession through the hall and greeted the international commissions.


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The Paris World Exposition 1867
The Prize-giving of the 1st of July 1867
Year: 1867City: ParisCountry: France
Duration: 1st April - 3rd November 1867

 

 

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