At 35 boulevard des Capucines, the building no longer exists. But the new building intelligently kept the original façade as you can tell by comparing the two pictures here below:

The 1874 exhibition took place in the working studio of a photographer, Gaspard-Félix Tournachon (1820-1910), known as Nadar (notice his name written in big letters on the façade on the old photograph just above. Notice also the people standing at the top of the building!).

Nadar was an incredible character: before becoming a photographer, he had been a ringmaster, a journalist, a playwright, a caricaturist…

His studio became one of the favourite meeting places of the Paris intelligentsia. In 1874, he was moving to a new address. He had paid the rent until the end of the month and he told his painter friends: « why don't you use my studio to exhibit your works so that they become known to the public? ». And so they did! The boulevard des Capucines was indeed THE good location to attract the wealthy customers of the newly created expensive cafés with their big outdoor terraces on the big sidewalks created by the Baron Haussmann. Just a few steps away from Nadar’s studio, Café de la Paix was inaugurated (together with the Grand Hôtel) in 1862 by Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, whose initial doesn't stand at the top of the Opera house, as some people think : the "N" is indeed for "Napoleon III" and the "E" is for "Emperor"...

35 boulevard des Capucines

35 boulevard des Capucines today

Nadar

Nadar, one year before he died, at age 89. How I wish I will show such modesty and satisfaction combined when (if) I reach that age...

In 1858, he made the first successful aerial photograph from a hot-air balloon! (This picture was of course taken in his studio)

Nadar has made incredible portraits of his contemporaries, like the selected ones here below:

Edouard Manet (1865)

Anatole France is nowadays in limbo, but he was one of the most famous writers of his day. I chose this photograph  because I bear a strong resemblance with him. In fact, by looking at this picture, except for the 3 moles, I could almost swear it is me!

Anatole France (1893)