Hippolyte Blancard, a pharmacist and amateur photographer, documented Parisian architecture leading up to the 1889 Exposition Universelle, or World’s Fair, an international event showcasing new innovations, geographic and scientific discoveries, and works of art. This series of photographs depicts the construction of the Eiffel Tower, which was conceived as the entrance to the World’s Fair. Blancard’s photographic documents cover the tower’s progression, from July 1887 through April 1889.
There was a strong reaction to the Eiffel Tower among the general public, some of whom thought it was unsightly and a “stain” on the Paris cityscape. One critic called it “a truly tragic street lamp.” Many artists, however, embraced the Eiffel Tower as a symbol of modernity and the avant-garde.