Buitenlandse paviljoens aan de oever van de Seine op de Wereldtentoonstelling van 1900 1900

This stereoscopic photograph captures the foreign pavilions along the Seine at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris. Made through a process of dual photography, this mass-produced image speaks volumes about labor, politics, and consumption at the turn of the century. The scene depicts elaborate architectural structures, built to showcase national identity and industrial progress. The pavilions, seemingly grand and permanent, were in fact temporary constructions, built by countless laborers. The photograph itself, a product of chemical processes and mechanical reproduction, was intended for mass consumption, feeding the public’s desire for spectacle and novelty. This two-image card was a popular form of entertainment. The existence of this image highlights the contrast between the highly-crafted, bespoke architecture of the pavilions, and the industrialized means by which they were captured and disseminated. It serves as a reminder that what often appears as high art or grand design is deeply intertwined with labor and the mechanics of production, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art, craft, and industrial manufacturing.