Fotoreproductie van een prent van Nadar die vanuit een luchtballon een foto maakt van Parijs before 1893

This is a photomechanical print of Nadar taking an aerial photograph of Paris from a balloon, published anonymously. Nadar, a pioneer of aerial photography in the mid-19th century, captured Paris from a unique, elevated perspective. The print reflects not only the technological advancements of the time but also the cultural fascination with modernity. Nadar's balloon becomes a symbol of progress. It speaks to a moment when the world felt ripe with possibilities, where science and art converged to expand human perception. As we consider the print’s distribution within a book, we can ask ourselves, who had access to this image and the ideas it represented? What did it mean for Parisians to see their city from above, mediated through the lenses of technology and art? Think about the ambitions and anxieties of a society grappling with rapid change, all captured in this single, upward glance.