Ruïne van het Palais des Tuileries te Parijs after 1871

Adolphe Block's stereo card captures the ruins of the Palais des Tuileries in Paris, likely made using a collodion process on glass, printed on paper, and mounted on card stock. Photography itself, although relatively new at the time, was becoming a major industry. Mass production of photographs meant images could be widely distributed and consumed, feeding a growing appetite for news and views. In this case, Block documented the destruction of a potent symbol of power after the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune uprising. Note the texture of the photographic emulsion, the tones achievable through the printing process. Photography presented a unique means to document an event like this, and to disseminate it to a mass audience. By understanding the materials and context of this stereo card, we can see how photography, like other crafts, is intertwined with the social and political forces of its time, reflecting the intersection of art, industry, and social change.