Los 4246 [*]

World War I
Panoramic view of

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Aus dem Katalog
Fotografie des 19. – 21. Jahrhunderts (Katalog nur online verfügbar)
Auktionsdatum 29.11.2025

Panoramic view taken from German military balloon between Mourmelon-le-Grand and St. Thierry, France. 1917. 26 gelatin silver prints mounted together on board and joined with paper tape to form a continuous panorama (entire size circa 19 x 141 cm). Handwritten notations in ink above and below images on the mounts, titled “Ballonrundblick der eigenen und feindlichen Stellungen von Mourmelon Le Grand bis St. Thierry”. Folded concertina-style.

This extraordinary panoramic photograph, assembled from 26 individual gelatin silver prints, documents the terrain between Mourmelon-le-Grand and St. Thierry in northeastern France during World War I. Taken from a German military observation balloon in 1917, the detailed images offer a sweeping view of both German and enemy positions, with handwritten notations identifying key strategic points along the horizon. Originally titled “Ballonrundblick der eigenen und feindlichen Stellungen von Mourmelon Le Grand bis St. Thierry,” the panorama reflects the importance of aerial reconnaissance in trench warfare and battlefield surveillance. Folded concertina-style, the work stands as a rare and visually compelling artifact of early military aerial photography. – Some oxidation mirroring, some fading in edges/joints, otherwise in good condition.