Gezicht op de Eiffeltoren en het Champ de Mars, Parijs 1889 - 1900

This photograph of the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars in Paris was created by an unknown photographer. The Eiffel Tower was erected in 1889, and quickly became a symbol of modernity, even as its aesthetics were hotly debated. The tower was a spectacle of industrialization, but also a landmark in a city that was the heart of the Belle Époque. This was a period of optimism and flourishing in Europe before the first World War. As you gaze at the tower, consider its impact on Parisians and the world. It was, and remains, a statement about progress, while encapsulating the complexities of class and cultural identity during a transformative era. A structure of iron and ambition, framed by the city that both embraced and questioned its presence.