To Paris to the Exhibition!!: Travel and Imperial Representation in 1900

• In Event: In the Traveler’s Eyes: German and Russian Travelers in the 19th-20th Century

Abstract

In 1900, the Paris Exposition universelle allotted Russia, France’s ally, more exhibition space than any other country, and its primary pavilion, the “Pavillon de l’Asie russe,” was a fanciful kremlin containing an interior with depictions of Russia’s border areas – Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Far North and Siberia, as well as a Trans-Siberian railway panorama constructed using actual train cars and presentations of Russian arts and crafts. The Russian empire also participated in numerous other categories, winning prizes for displays of cutting-edge technology and eliciting respect for Russian artistic works. This paper examines travel accounts and reviews of the exposition to investigate how Russia presented itself as a colonial empire; besides Russian peasants there were representatives from Yakutia and Bukhara participating, among others. The reception of Russia and Russians by the French hosts and other foreign visitors will also form a part of the analysis.

Author

• Katya Elizabeth Hokanson, U of Oregon