Porte Monumentale van de Wereldtentoonstelling van 1900 1900

This anonymous stereograph captures the monumental gate of the 1900 Paris World Fair. The fair, intended to mark the dawn of a new century, showcased global industrial achievements and artistic innovations, but it also operated as a site of colonial display. The image frames a crowd moving through the grand archway. Looking closely, you can see that fairgoers from diverse social strata were present. The monumental architecture invites awe and symbolizes the promise of progress, yet it obscures the realities of labor and colonial exploitation that undergirded such spectacles. This image provides a complex glimpse into the aspirations and exclusions of its time. The stereograph’s 3D effect creates an immersive experience, allowing us to imagine ourselves within the throngs of people. As you observe, consider whose stories are amplified and whose are marginalized in this vision of global unity and progress.