The world brought to life in vibrant color: a photo exhibition that takes us on a journey at the Roger-Viollet Gallery

Today, photography is accessible to everyone, both as a technology and an art form. However, in its early days, it required sophisticated equipment and specialized skills. The Roger-Viollet Gallery offers a glimpse into this past with a curated selection of hand-painted photographs from the 19th century. The exhibition, Hand-Colored Worlds, provides an intriguing look back in time, running from February 26 to June 6, 2026.

This free exhibition features 66 photographs extracted from stereoscopic glass plates. This special technique creates relief images that vividly convey the depth of landscapes or everyday scenes. In the mid-1850s, the Léon & Lévy studio dispatched its operators worldwide to capture cities and their inhabitants through these photographs, which offer a striking 3D impression.

France, as well as Japan, Egypt, the United States, Spain... Across every continent, these photographers have explored popular tourist spots and bustling city scenes to capture and preserve their images as faithfully as possible. They’ve also turned their attention to local communities—observing daily life, customs, and the vibrant scenes that animate the everyday urban landscape.

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These images can already be striking due to their sense of depth. But what truly sets them apart are their colors. The exhibition reveals that these photographs were hand-colored in the studios of Léon & Lévy by expert colorists dedicated to this craft.

These artists didn't travel with photographers, so they had to rely on their imagination to craft their images. They selected their own colors to create scenes that were both realistic... and exotic.

Indeed, these photographs were later sold to wealthy and middle-class clients who could "travel" through images of distant lands—at a time when only a few ventured outside their home countries, or even their own cities.

The Roger-Viollet Gallery is offering a fascinating exhibition exploring vintage photographic techniques. This free event promises to captivate photography enthusiasts and history buffs alike.