Gezicht op de Rue de Rivoli te Parijs c. 1850 - 1875

This stereoscopic photograph captures a ‘View of the Rue de Rivoli in Paris’ by the London Stereoscopic Company. The subdued sepia tones and symmetrical composition initially evoke a serene Parisian streetscape. Look closer and you'll notice how the photographic technique plays with depth and perspective. The dual images, when viewed through a stereoscope, create an illusion of three-dimensionality. This innovation was not merely representational, but transformative. It challenged the conventional, singular viewpoint, offering a richer, more immersive experience, mimicking how our eyes perceive space. Here, the photograph isn't just a window onto the world, but a construction of perception itself. The very form of the image—its stereoscopic structure—disrupts traditional notions of a fixed, objective reality. It hints at the instability of vision, inviting us to question what we see and how we see it.