Gezicht op de Pont Alexandre III richting Invalides, tijdens de Wereldtentoonstelling van 1900 1900

This stereoscopic image, made around 1900 by an anonymous photographer, depicts the Pont Alexandre III during the Exposition Universelle in Paris. The stereoscope was a popular form of entertainment in the late 19th century. It used two slightly different photographic images to create a three-dimensional effect when viewed through a special viewer. This print would have been mass-produced, an inexpensive and relatively accessible item which helped fuel the appetite for mass visual culture. The process reflects the rise of industrial image-making, which made it possible to capture and reproduce images quickly and efficiently, making it a powerful tool for shaping public opinion and promoting cultural values. The image itself, with its depiction of the architecture of the fair, reinforces the idea of progress and technological advancement, as do the industrial means of its production and distribution. It invites us to consider the relationship between image making, labor, and consumer culture, and challenges traditional notions of art and craft.