Raw Produce of India', Exposition Universelle in Paris

The financial success of the 1851 Great Exhibition in London ushered forth a new age of modern international fairs around the world. It set the model for similar exhibitions in other countries showcasing advances in manufacturing, science, and technology. The displays fostered cross-national trade in mass-produced commodities while also emphasising the advancement of art and design education. International exhibitions across Europe and America in the late 19th and early 20th century presented Indian pavilions with regional 'courts' showcasing sumptuous displays of the famed blackwood furniture, fine silverware, ivory, ornamental pottery, rich textiles and carpets, intricate jewelry, and metalware.

In 1855, the Paris Exposition Universelle, the French counterpart of the 1851 Exhibition, opened. The exposition displayed products from the colonial empires of the world. The British section included objects from Ceylon, Jamaica, Malta, Tasmania, Bahamas and India. The exposition was also visited by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Many mofussil towns and principalities in India contributed to the selection of objects sent to the exhibition. While preparing for the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1855, a need was felt to establish a Museum in Bombay (Mumbai). Duplicates of selected objects from around the presidency were kept in Bombay, resulting in the establishment of the 'Central Museum of Natural History, Economy, Geology, Industry, and Arts,' which eventually became the Victoria and Albert Museum, Bombay.

Image courtesy: Victoria & Albert Museum, London