"It Was So Windy in the Eiffel Tower," Paris 1931

Editor: Ilse Bing's gelatin silver print, “It Was So Windy in the Eiffel Tower,” Paris, made in 1931, presents a dizzying perspective from the tower itself. The scene feels both intimate and monumental. What historical context can you provide for understanding Bing's approach to capturing such a unique image? Curator: Bing's photograph exists within a critical juncture. The rise of modernist photography saw artists questioning traditional pictorialist approaches. How could photography be "art," was the question of the era. Think about the sociopolitical climate: the interwar period. Mass tourism was democratizing travel and landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower were no longer the exclusive reserve of elites. Bing isn’t just documenting, she’s framing a new public experience. Editor: I see. So the image isn't simply *of* the Eiffel Tower, but comments on its role in culture? Curator: Precisely. The high-angle perspective almost satirizes that burgeoning industry; do you think Bing is being celebratory or critical? Editor: It’s ambiguous, right? On the one hand, it acknowledges the thrill, but the close proximity of the visitors and tilted view, like we might all fall out, suggests anxiety about these shared, slightly manufactured experiences. Curator: Absolutely, it’s an invitation to consider how photography itself participates in shaping public perception and cultural narratives, a truly important conversation to continue today, I would argue. Editor: It's amazing to see how a photograph like this encapsulates a whole era’s complex relationship with progress and access. Thank you! Curator: A pleasure! Examining art through its historical role gives an enlightening new perspective.