On October 19, 1901, Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont successfully flew his airship Number 6 around the Eiffel Tower and back within 30 minutes, winning the Deutsch de la Meurthe prize and achieving international fame. This precise navigation demonstration proved the practical controllability of airships and made Santos-Dumont a celebrity in Paris and beyond.

Santos-Dumont's elegant achievement inspired Belle Époque poetry celebrating precision, style, and international cosmopolitanism. The Brazilian aviator became a literary figure in Parisian circles, inspiring verses that connected South American achievement with European modernity, while his graceful airship flights influenced literary depictions of urban space viewed from above and the aesthetics of controlled flight.