In 1881, Alexander Stoletov was appointed to the jury of the International Exposition of Electricity, which took place in Paris from August 15 to November 15 at the Palais de l’Industrie (Palace of Industry exhibition hall) on the Champs-Elysées.

The exhibition was attended by representatives of several nations that excelled in science and technology, including Great Britain, the United States, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Naturally, there was a Russian pavilion at the event as well.

The Paris exhibition of 1881 was notable for being the first to be entirely dedicated to electricity and its applications in science and technology. Over the course of the hundred-day event, more than 750,000 people visited the exhibition. Visitors were able to move around the site on an electrified train, and electric boats sailed on the Seine. Telegraphic equipment and telephones played a significant role in the exhibition as well, with the telephone serving as the main attraction.

In addition, a variety of batteries and accumulators, generators, and electric motors were on display, as well as lighting devices. The electrical engineer Pavel Yablochkov presented an electric candle, or an arc lamp, which was recognized as the most suitable lighting system by 1881 due to its simplicity, convenience, and affordability. The “Russian light”, powered by Yablochkov’s system, illuminated the shops of the Louvre, streets of Paris, the hippodrome, and popular sights of London. However, at the Paris exhibition, it was replaced by Edison’s invention as it was much more durable. The engineer and inventor Nikolay Benardos presented the “Electrogefest” electric welding machine — an apparatus that made it easy to connect metal parts, which was awarded a gold medal.

Alexander Stoletov was appointed Vice-President of one of the five committees at the exhibition, which focused on devices used for electrical measurement. The exhibits showcased in this section — electrometers, galvanometers, electrodynamometers, and resistance and capacitance standards — were of particular interest to the physicist.

In total, Russia earned 21 awards during the exhibition. A diploma of cooperation was presented to the Physics Laboratory of Moscow University, which was a particularly special award for Stoletov.