Viewing balloon at 1878 Paris Exposition. 19th-century artwork of a large captive (tethered) balloon (Le Grand Ballon Captif) built by French engineer and aeronaut Henri Giffard (1825-1882) and exhibited during the Paris International Exposition of 1878. The balloon is in the Tuileries Gardens, and was raised and lowered to provide those in the gondala with views over Paris. Around 13 million people visited the Exposition, which was open from 1 May to 10 November 1878. This wood engraving dates from circa 1888.