The Second Empire and the world's fairs

Rococo Revival, electroplating, department stores and five world's fairs in Paris.

Under Napoleon III Paris was rebuilt by Haussmann and filled with new department stores. Furniture often followed Louis XV and XVI in a new edition. Christofle made silver on a large scale by electroplating.

Paris held world's fairs in 1855, 1867, 1878 and 1889. Japan took part in 1867, and Japanese art and design, Japonisme, became very important for French artists and designers. The Union centrale des arts décoratifs was founded in 1864.