An albumen print of the second ascension of 'le Géant' of Félix Nadar in Paris at the Champs de Mars, 18 October 1863. This time a smaller balloon was inflated for comparison.
Napoleon III and his guest the king of Greece visited the event. At first Nadar refused to greet the emperor but conceded saying: "Je suis M. Nadar!".
Many people are looking behind fences to this large event. In Belgium these are now nicknamed "Nadar fences". A more than fascinating part of photographic history.

We found a very similar cdv in another collection with a backmark of Jules Deplanque. Only the visitors moved a little between the exposures. Deplanque started in 1863 and made many “Vues Instantanées de Paris” like this one. A very early “snapshot”. This print can be attributed to him.

A stereo version of this image was titled: "Ballon Nadar (le Géant), Instantanée prise a 5h. du soir le 18 Octobre 1863"

Rare carte de visite, no photographer's imprint
ca. 1863

Publication:
Adam Begley, The Great Nadar, the man behind the camera, Tim Duggan books 2017, p. 142
Michel Christolhomme, Memoires d'Un Geant, Felix Nadar, Delpire, 2015, p.137