Interieur van de techniek afdeling in het Duitse paviljoen tijdens de Wereldtentoonstelling te Parijs in 1900 before 1901

This monochrome picture by Goupil captures the interior of the technology section at the German pavilion during the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. It’s a detailed shot of machinery, construction and the sheer scale of ambition at the turn of the century. You know, the starkness of the black and white image emphasizes the forms and textures, making everything look more raw and immediate. The heavy girders and the tangle of wires create a dense, almost overwhelming visual field. My eye is drawn to the arch at the center, where you can just make out ‘ALLEMAGNE’ and ‘CAFE-TOUR BERLIN’ spelled out in bold letters, a clear statement of German identity and technological prowess. Looking at this, I’m reminded of Bernd and Hilla Becher’s photographs of industrial structures, the way they documented these sites with such a straight-forward, almost detached eye. But this has a bit more dynamism to it. It’s like looking at a moment in time when the future seemed boundless, a bit naïve but also kind of exhilarating.