Westfaçade van de Opéra Garnier, Parijs 1874 - 1875

This is a stereoscopic image of the Westfaçade of the Opéra Garnier in Paris by Charles Dauvois. In the mid-19th century, Paris was a city undergoing radical transformation, driven by the ambitions of Napoleon III and the urban planning of Baron Haussmann. The Opéra Garnier was a key part of this modernization, intended to symbolize the grandeur and cultural sophistication of the Second Empire. The opera house became a stage for the complex interplay of social class, gender, and power. It was a space where the elite would display their wealth, status, and taste. The architecture emphasizes a patriarchal, class-based social structure, but for women it offered an opportunity to see and be seen, to negotiate social mobility within certain constraints. Reflecting on the Opéra Garnier through a contemporary lens, we must ask, what does it mean to democratize access to culture and challenge historical power structures?