Style Other / Ref.15274

Louis TAUZIN, CHAMPENOIS et Cie, The Eiffel Tower, circa 1889

This chromolithograph was created by Louis Tauzin in collaboration with the Champenois & Co printing house at the time of the construction of the Eiffel Tower, on the occasion of the World’s Fair held in Paris in 1889.

The painter Louis Tauzin (Barsac, circa 1842-Royan, 1815) was a student of the painter Oscar Gué and began exhibiting at the Salon in 1867.

He provides here a beautiful illustration of the Eiffel Tower during the 1889 Universal Exhibition. Built by engineer Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923) between 1887 and 1889, this iron monument reaches a height of 312 meters. It was the tallest tower in the world and the highlight of the event, which spanned the Champ de Mars, extended to the Invalides, and reached the hill of the Trocadéro on the other side of the Seine. Originally conceived as temporary, like most buildings constructed for such events, the Eiffel Tower was eventually preserved due to its success, becoming one of the most famous Parisian symbols, with its popularity enduring since the 1960s.

The poster depicts the Eiffel Tower viewed from the right bank of the Seine, from a slightly elevated point. It occupies the center; to its left, one can make out the dome of the Invalides; to its right, the Palais de l'Industrie, which occupied the Champ de Mars. The bustling activity of small figures and the movement of boats below bring the scene to life.

The Musée d'Orsay holds another version of this chromolithograph with added glitter. These evoke the illuminations that lit up the Eiffel Tower and the windows of the Palais de l'Industrie: each evening, gas lamps protected by opaline globes were lit, adding a festive touch to the event. The lighthouse housed in the Eiffel Tower’s campanile already existed, projecting blue, white, and red lights over the city.

This chromolithograph is a beautiful testament to the success the Eiffel Tower enjoyed from its conception, despite the opposition it faced before its construction, and to the decision to preserve it, making it the quintessential symbol of Paris.