In 1887, the Eiffel Tower was still an argument in iron.
A protest in Le Temps attacked Eiffel's exposed frame because artists feared it would scar the beauty of Paris.
Signers included Guy de Maupassant and architect Charles Garnier, among other prominent writers and artists.
Construction continued for the 1889 Exposition, and later scientific and radio uses helped extend the tower beyond its original 20-year concession.
Practical use changed the ending. The disputed structure became useful enough to outlast the complaint.