Les Alpes en 1900: quand la Suisse se donnait à voir en 3D

The conference provides a rich and detailed account of stereoscopic photography and its role in shaping the tourist imaginary of the Alps. Daniela Vaj demonstrates deep expertise, drawing on her extensive research with the Viaticalpes project. The historical narrative is well-documented, with references to key inventors and companies, and the presentation of the Underwood Travel System is particularly insightful, highlighting its innovative use of maps and guides to create an immersive experience. The integration of 3D anaglyph images during the talk effectively illustrates the technology, enhancing audience engagement. The sources cited are primarily archival and project-based, lending credibility to the content. However, the talk is more descriptive than analytical, and it could benefit from a more critical examination of the cultural and social implications of these virtual travels. The title accurately reflects the content, and the presentation is well-structured. Overall, the conference is a valuable contribution to the history of photography and tourism, offering a unique perspective on early 3D technology. The quality of information is high, and the speaker’s authority is evident. The only minor weakness is the lack of engagement with potential criticisms or alternative interpretations, but this does not detract significantly from the overall value.

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on early 20th-century Switzerland and the Alps as seen through stereoscopic photography.

8/10

The conference is delivered by a historian and specialist in mountain travel narratives, based on a long-term research project (Viaticalpes) with a substantial corpus of digitized images. The presentation is well-structured, historically accurate, and includes references to primary sources and archival materials. The speaker demonstrates expertise and provides concrete examples.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 02:00Introduction to the Viaticalpes project and its objectives.
• 05:00Explanation of stereoscopic photography and human binocular vision.
• 08:00History of the stereoscope: Wheatstone, Brewster, and Holmes.
• 10:00The London Stereoscopic Company and the age of stereoscopy.
• 12:00Underwood & Underwood and the Underwood Travel System.
• 15:00Demonstration of anaglyph 3D images with audience participation.
• 20:00Detailed look at the Underwood Travel System maps and guides.
• 25:00Virtual journey through the Bernese Alps and Zermatt using 3D maps.

• Viaticalpes — Project website presenting the digitized corpus and multimedia products.
• Viatimages — Database of digitized images from travel narratives, accessible to the public.
• Un voyage stéréoscopique à travers la Suisse et le Pays du Mont-Blanc …en 1900 — Virtual exhibition on stereoscopic travel, mentioned in the talk.

• Viaticalpes — The project's website aligns with the talk's content, providing access to the digitized corpus and exhibitions.
• Viatimages — The database supports the claims about the digitization of images from travel narratives.