Exterieur van de Musée-Bibliothèque te Le Havre 1862 - 1876

This is a stereoscopic image of the Musée-Bibliothèque in Le Havre, made by Jean Andrieu. Stereoscopy was a popular technique in the mid-19th century. Two photographs, taken from slightly different angles, are mounted side-by-side. When viewed through a special viewer, the image appears three-dimensional. Photography was still a relatively new technology in Andrieu's time, and stereoscopy was a way to make the images more realistic and engaging. It was also a relatively democratic form of image production because of its reproducibility. Note the labor involved in this image. There is the photographer, who had to have some knowledge of chemistry and optics, and the workers who prepared the photographic plates and printed the images. Stereoscopic images like this one were often sold as souvenirs, and they offered a glimpse into other places and cultures.