Album “1889 Universal Exposition – Pavilions of South America.” Paris. 1889.

An album containing 12 vintage albumen prints, mounted on thick sheets joined together by strips of gummed cloth, forming an accordion-style album. Dimensions: Photographs, 14.8 x 9.3 cm; sheets, 17.5 x 11.5 cm. Bound in red cloth with the title in gold. In good condition. From the collection of César Gotta.

Following the success of the first Universal Exposition—held at the Crystal Palace in London in 1851—the phenomenon expanded remarkably. Emerging during the Industrial Revolution, these mega-events captivated the society of the time, serving as a grand showcase for the major technological advancements of the 19th century—including photography, which was represented by a notable display of early American daguerreotypes.

Twenty years later, the first such exhibition in our country took place in Córdoba, thanks to the efforts and tenacity of President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. On that occasion, visitors had access to a "Photography" kiosk set up in the exhibition gardens, where views of the event were offered for sale. At the same time, the photographer Cesare Rocca produced an impressive photographic album documenting all the structures, pavilions, gardens, nurseries, and experimental cultivation fields.

In the second half of the 19th century, the most significant global exhibition was the one held in Paris in 1889 to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. In the very city where the remarkable invention of photography originated—coinciding with the 50th anniversary of this technical discovery—the French Republic organized a massive exhibition, featuring as its striking centerpiece none other than the Eiffel Tower, the tallest structure in the world at the time. Naturally, photographers and their work were drawn in like a magnet to take part in this unique opportunity; photography competed in Fine Arts contests and also appeared in technical, commercial, and social catalogs.

With millions of people in attendance, a market for photographic "souvenirs" emerged; in fact, the Parisian firm Neurdein Frères secured the official photography concession for the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris. Nevertheless, we consider this a rare album; Brazilian researcher Maria Inês Turazzi—author of the book *Poses e Trejeitos* ("Poses and Mannerisms"), which examines photography at national and international exhibitions in Brazil—does not list it, despite years of research.

Regarding this particular work, each photograph—all of which are exterior shots—is accompanied by a description of the pavilion being documented. These include representations of countries from North, Central, and South America. While most of the structures are classified as "pavilions," those of Brazil and Argentina are categorized as "palaces"—likely due to their significant scale and high-quality construction—with the Argentine structure being the largest of all. The Argentine Pavilion, located very close to the Eiffel Tower, won first prize among the foreign exhibits; it was later transported to Buenos Aires, where it served as the imposing home of the Museum of Fine Arts.

On the back of the final page, there is a stamped mark from the bookstore that sold this copy: "Librería 'La Incógnita' [The Unknown]. Constantino Calo. Sarmiento 1472. Buenos Aires."

Constantino Calo, a Spaniard originally from Galicia—where he was born in 1869—arrived in Argentina in 1927 and established his first antiquarian bookstore at Sarmiento 1538, in this city. Two years later, he moved to a new location at Corrientes 1521, eventually settling at Sarmiento 1472 in 1940. It was at this latter address that, as local residents recall, he passed away from a heart attack, surrounded by thousands upon thousands of old books. His shop was legendary for its decor—or lack thereof—with stacks of books piled up in complete disarray, all blanketed by decades of accumulated dust. I am told that the name "La Incógnita" ("The Unknown") stemmed from his own personality: reclusive and cunning.

Based on this brief investigation, we can surmise that this photo album was brought to Argentina by someone who traveled to Paris in 1889 to visit the grand Universal Exposition. Later on—presumably by a descendant—it was sold to the Librería Calo, eventually entering the circle of rare books cherished by Buenos Aires bibliophiles.

List of photographs

Palais de l’Exposition du Brésil.

Palais de la République Argentine.

Pavillon du Mexique.

Pavillon du Vénézuela.

Pavillon de la Bolivie.

Pavillon du Chili.

Pavillon du Guatemala.

Pavillon de l’Equateur.

Pavillon du Paraguay.

Le Pavillon du Nicaragua.

Pavillon de l’Uruguay.

Pavillon du Salvador.

Abel Alexander

President of the Ibero-American Society for the History of Photography