Gezicht op de Champ-de-Mars tijdens de Wereldtentoonstelling van 1889, links en rechts het Palais des Beaux-Arts en het Palais des Arts libéraux, in het midden de Dôme Central 1889

This albumen print shows the Champ-de-Mars during the 1889 World's Fair, captured by Neurdein Frères. The albumen process, popular in the 19th century, involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, then exposing it to light through a negative. The sepia tones are characteristic of albumen prints, influenced by the materials’ chemical reactions. Photography, still relatively new at this time, straddled the line between science and art. Neurdein Frères used this technology to document a celebration of industrial progress. The image emphasizes the grandeur of the iron and glass structures, highlighting the global reach of Parisian design and manufacturing. Photography, like other crafts, involves skilled labor and standardized processes, mirroring the fair’s themes of industry and innovation. The image itself became a commodity, distributed widely to promote the ideals of progress and consumption, integral to the era's social and economic context. Recognizing these production techniques allows us to appreciate how photography shaped perceptions of progress and culture.