Stereofoto van een hijskraan op een laaddok te Lyon before 1892

This stereoscopic photograph presents a dual image of a crane on a loading dock in Lyon, captured by Adolphe Louis Donnadieu. The composition is structured by the stark contrast between the pale, flat expanse of the open book and the intensely detailed photographic prints. This contrast draws our eyes to the structural form of the crane. The crane itself dominates the pictorial space, its angular lines intersecting with the softer, organic shapes of the surrounding environment. Donnadieu uses the stereoscopic technique not just to record but to highlight the interplay between industrial structure and its setting. In this interplay, the crane becomes a signifier of progress and modernity, juxtaposed against the more traditional elements of the dock. This photograph invites us to consider how such images participate in broader cultural narratives of industrialization and its impact on the landscape.