Bordeaux Exposition of 1895

The Bordeaux Exposition of 1895 [L’Exposition de Bordeaux] was the thirteenth of its kind organized by the Philomathic Society of Bordeaux. It opened on May 1 and took place on the Place des Quinconces, it included exhibits for education, fine arts, industry, agriculture, electricity, and social sciences. There were 10,064 exhibitors, including 302 from the colonies. International exhibitors include England, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Algeria, and the French colonies.

The Lion exhibit at the Bordeaux Exposition won the Grand Prix, as attested in one of Lion’s souvenir booklets at later exposition. Unfortunately, I have thus far not been able to locate any pictures of the Lion pavilion, although I continue to look for them. However, the official Journal of the Exposition, which was published every Sunday by the Philomathic Society, included an extensive article about the Maternité Lion by Louis Énault, including illustrations.

“‘I’m only interested in children from the age of sixteen,’ says the skeptic, who doesn’t care about the genesis of humanity. His heart of marble would have softened if it had been able to see, like us, at the Bordeaux Exhibition, this incubator of children, constantly surrounded by a sympathetic crowd, which contemplates with sincere and grateful emotion a masterpiece. a work of ingenuity, born of a generous inspiration, and whose author Mr. Lion, must be ranked among the benefactors of humanity. I won’t surprise anyone when I say that this is one of the great successes of the Exhibition, and the objective of all those who see the coming of the great ordeals of motherhood with a sweet emotion.” — P. 29, “L’Exposition Bordeaux,” published by the Philomathic Society.

Contemporary press coverage:

Below: A map of the exposition. Most likely Lion’s’ exhibit was in the area marked “P” for “Specialized Pavilons,” as that is where his exhibit was located in the subsequent 1907 Bordeaux International Maritime Exposition.

L’Exposition de Bordeaux 1895 (Wikipedia)
“La Maternité Lion,” by Louis Énault, Journal of the Bordeaux Exposition,1895

General Information
- Dr. Alexandre Lion
- The Lion Incubator
- Oeuvre Maternelle des Couveuses d’Enfants, Paris
- Oeuvre Maternelle des Couveuses d’Enfants, New York
- Oeuvre Maternelle des Couveuses d’Enfants, Barcelona
- The Engineer and the Newborns, by W. A. Nelson and Paul L. Toubas and
Press Coverage
- La Maternité “Lion de Nice” pour Enfants Nés Avant Terme ou Débiles, by Dr. Ciaudo, 1895.
- Les Couveuses pour Enfants, Gazette Médicale de Paris, 1900
- Couveuses d’Enfants, La Maternité Lion, Paris, La Patrie, 1897
- Paris Letter: An Improved System of Incubators, by O. Jennings, Pediatrics 1:427-428, 1896
- Baby Incubators, The Strand Magazine, 1896, by James Walter Smith
- Human Infant Incubation: A True Fairy-Tale of Modern Science from Leslie’s Weekly, 1897
- The Saving of Human Life, Maternité Lion in NYC, The Literary Digest, 1898
- Immature Infants in France, from The Lancet, January 16, 1897, page 196.
- Alexandre Lion’s Incubator Charities in Europe (1894–1898) (The Embryo Project)
- Newspaper Articles about Lion’s Storefronts and Expositions
Maternité Lion Souvenir Booklets
- Oeuvre Maternelle des Couveuses d’Enfants , Paris Institute, Booklet Version #1 (appears to be ~1896)
- Oeuvre Maternelle des Couveuses d’Enfants , Paris Institute, Booklet Version #2 (appears to be ~1901)
- Pamphlet from Alexander Lion’s exhibit at the 1898 exhibition in Torino, Italy. (PDF supplied by Dr. Thijs Gras, Amsterdam)
Worlds Fairs and Expositions