Bron van de rivier de Aveyron, Frankrijk 1880

This stereoscopic photo of the Source of the Aveyron River in France was created by Eugène Hanau. Stereoscopic images like this were a popular form of entertainment in the late 19th century, feeding a growing appetite for images of faraway places, and fitting into the colonial project of exploration and documentation. The photographer and the photographic studio are important institutions to consider. Hanau was the founder of a photography studio in Paris. The company were prolific makers of stereoscopic images and postcards that captured scenes of everyday life, landscapes and monuments. Here, Hanau captured the natural wonder of the Aveyron River's source in stereoscopic form. A tiny human figure at the centre offers a sense of scale. It suggests the sublime experience of confronting nature's grandeur, but it also illustrates the taming of nature for middle-class consumption. To understand this photo further, one might look at the history of stereoscopic photography, or the archives of the Hanau studio. The study of these institutions illuminates the cultural work performed by this image.