Gezicht op de Sainte-Trinité in Parijs c. 1850 - 1880

This stereoscopic image, "Gezicht op de Sainte-Trinité in Parijs", presents a paired view of the Parisian church, likely captured in the latter half of the 19th century. Stereoscopic photography was more than just a technological advancement; it offered a way to possess a simulacrum of reality. As viewers, we are invited into a form of virtual tourism, bringing the grandeur of Parisian architecture into one’s parlor. Yet, we must consider how this visual technology catered to a specific, often privileged, gaze. The ability to experience distant places through photography was a privilege shaped by class and access. The church, a monument to religious and imperial power, also speaks to the complex relationship between the sacred and the secular in a rapidly modernizing Paris. This image prompts us to reflect on how spaces of worship navigate the shifting terrain of identity and belief.