BY POPULAR DEMAND | PARIS, CITY OF LIGHT: The Petit Palais Collection and The Universal Exhibition of 1900 with Sylvia Sagona

The Petit Palais was built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition to showcase French culture and refinement. Its ornate jewel box structure soon attracted wealthy 19th century families who donated their collections. It is now a little-known treasure trove of decorative arts from the Renaissance to the early 20th century as well as housing important collections of both Salon and Impressionist art.

This lecture will discuss the role of the great 1900 Exposition Universelle as a vehicle for the myth of Paris, City of Light.

SYLVIA SAGONA is an internationally recognised specialist on 19th century French society. She retired from the French Department at the University of Melbourne to work on historical documentaries for French and Australian television and is currently researching a book on Parisian women in the 19th century.