description Eugène Atget Overview
Eugene Atget was a French photographer whose systematic views of old Paris, made from the 1890s to 1920s, became central to documentary photography.
help Eugène Atget FAQ
Why did Eugène Atget photograph old Paris so systematically?
Atget documented streets, shopfronts, courtyards, stairways, parks, and buildings in Paris from the 1890s into the 1920s. His work preserved views of older Paris at a time when modernization had already transformed much of the city.
Was Atget considered an artist during his lifetime?
Atget sold many photographs as documents for artists, architects, and libraries rather than as modern art prints. After his death in 1927, figures such as Berenice Abbott helped promote his archive as a major artistic achievement.
How did the Surrealists respond to Atget's photographs?
Surrealists admired the eerie stillness and unexpected details in Atget's Paris views. Man Ray and others saw images such as empty streets and shop windows as strangely dreamlike, even though Atget worked as a documentarian.
Where can someone see major Atget collections today?
Major Atget holdings are in institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Berenice Abbott acquired and preserved a large portion of his archive after his death.
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