Gezicht op het Franse deel van de Wereldtentoonstelling van 1885 in Antwerpen before 1885

This anonymous print captures a view of the French section of the 1885 World’s Fair in Antwerp. World’s Fairs were a spectacle of industrial progress and colonial power. They were a celebration of a hierarchy of nations. France, like other European powers, used these fairs to promote its national identity and project an image of cultural and technological superiority. In this image, the architecture of the French section is framed to evoke a sense of grandeur and sophistication. Decorative arts and paintings suggest a nation of refinement. But it's crucial to remember that this image is carefully constructed, obscuring the realities of colonialism and social inequality that underpinned France's global power. What narratives are intentionally left out of this exhibition? Who profits from it, and whose labor is exploited? Consider the emotional impact this carefully curated space might have had on visitors, both reinforcing national pride for some and underscoring the exclusion and marginalization of others.