Noorse klederdracht op de Wereldtentoonstelling van 1867 1867

This stereoscopic card, by Léon & Lévy, captures Norwegian traditional costumes at the 1867 World’s Fair in Paris. Printed on paper using photographic processes, its sepia tones and dual images offer a glimpse into a specific moment of cultural display. These images are more than just visual records; they are artifacts of a rapidly industrializing era. The photographic process itself, with its reliance on chemical reactions and mechanical reproduction, reflects the shift towards mass production and consumption. The card would have been made in multiple through mechanized reproduction and widespread distribution, which speak to the growing commodification of culture and identity. This particular image makes visible the traditional textile production of wool clothing and the artistry of the craft in the clothing itself, but through the flattening of photography. In an age of increasing standardization, images such as these presented cultural otherness for the consumption of a mass audience, obscuring the labor and skill embedded in traditional crafts.