Born in 1857, in Libourne near Bordeaux and raised by his uncle, Eugène Atget's youth was molded by his time as a sailor. Upon his return from the sea, Atget turned to the stage and pursued an acting career in provincial cities and later in Paris suburbs.
After minor success as an actor, Atget abandoned the stage and at the age of forty took up painting, then quickly turned to his true life's work as a photographer.
For the next thirty years, until just a few short months before his death in 1927, Atget undertook a systematic documentation of the city of Paris, creating approximately five thousand negatives and nearly ten thousand prints.
Because he refused to work with the latest advances in photographic technology, Atget's images evoke a sense of timelessness, due in part to the slower exposure times and the pre-visualization of the final image that was required.
Atget carried his large camera around Paris as he worked to document its essential elements: streets, shop windows, building facades, architectural details, and the landscape of the public gardens and parks in and around the city.
Atget's unique documentation of the French capital captured the eye of surrealist photographer Man Ray who worked to promote Atget as one of the pre-eminent photographic modernists. Later, the efforts of Berenice Abbott, who acquired Atget's negatives and prints after his death, finally situated Atget's work in the history of photography where it continues to gain in stature and influence.
George Eastman House holds approximately 500 prints by Eugène Atget, and here below is part of his work that he shot street scenes of Paris around 1900.
(Photos by Eugène Atget)
After minor success as an actor, Atget abandoned the stage and at the age of forty took up painting, then quickly turned to his true life's work as a photographer.
For the next thirty years, until just a few short months before his death in 1927, Atget undertook a systematic documentation of the city of Paris, creating approximately five thousand negatives and nearly ten thousand prints.
Because he refused to work with the latest advances in photographic technology, Atget's images evoke a sense of timelessness, due in part to the slower exposure times and the pre-visualization of the final image that was required.
Atget carried his large camera around Paris as he worked to document its essential elements: streets, shop windows, building facades, architectural details, and the landscape of the public gardens and parks in and around the city.
Atget's unique documentation of the French capital captured the eye of surrealist photographer Man Ray who worked to promote Atget as one of the pre-eminent photographic modernists. Later, the efforts of Berenice Abbott, who acquired Atget's negatives and prints after his death, finally situated Atget's work in the history of photography where it continues to gain in stature and influence.
George Eastman House holds approximately 500 prints by Eugène Atget, and here below is part of his work that he shot street scenes of Paris around 1900.
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| Hotel de Montmorency - Rue de Montmorency 5, 1900 |
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| Marchard d'abat-jour, rue Lepic, 1900 |
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| St. Lazare - Fbg. St. Denis 107, 1900 |
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| Cour de Rouen - boulevard St. Germain, circa 1900 |
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| Hotel de Charost - Pauline Borghese - Ambassade d’Angleterre 39 Fbg. St. Honore, 1901 |
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| La Rue Beaubourg, 1901 |
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| Maison de Benjamin Franklin - rue de Penthievre 26 , 1901 |
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| Parc Monceau, 1901-02 |
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| Parc Monceau, 1901-02 |
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| Un coin du Vieux-Vanves, 1901 |
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| Au Griffon - 39 quai de l’Horloge, 1902 |
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| Au soleil d’or - place de l’Ecoles, 1902 |
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| Hotel 8 Rue d’Anjon, 1902 |
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| Au Port Salut - Cabaret Rue des Fosses St. Jacques, 1903 |
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| Fontaine des Innocents, 1903 |
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| Le Perreux - Tour de Marne, 1903 |
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| Les Bords du Marne au Perreux (Seine), 1903 |
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| Les Bords du Marne au Perreux (Seine), 1903 |
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| Rue St. Denis, Eglise St. Leu St. Gilles au No. 92, 1903 |
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| Boutique art nouveau, 45 rue st. Augustin, 1904-05 |
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| Hotel Thiroux de Montsange Rue de la Boetie 111, 1905 |
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| Passage Moliere Vue prise de la rue St. Marti, 1906 |
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| Au Sphinx 31 Rue St. Denis, 1907 |
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| Coin de la rue Vauvieliers et Berger 15 et 13, 1907 |
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| Cour 15 Rue Tiquetonne, 1907 |
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| Hotel des Abbes de Royaumont 4 Rue du Jour, 1907 |
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| Maison d’Andre Chenier en 1793 - 97 rue de Clery, 1907 |
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| Porte de Menilmontant - glacis de fortifications Guinguette, 1907 |
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| Restes de l’hotel St. Chaumont 226 Rue St. Denis, 1907 |
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| Rue de Viarmes cote de la rue Vannes, 1907 |
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| Rue Guerin Boisseau 186 R. S. Denis, 1907 |
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| Rue Saint-Honoré, 1907 |
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| 5 Rue Grenier St. Lazare passe dans le quartier - pour au ancien Hotel Buffon, 1908 |
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| Au Bourdon d’or 93 Rue St. Honore, 1908 |
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| Au Tambour, 63 quai de la Tournelle, 1908 |
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| Coin Eglise St. Nicolas des Champs Rue Cunin Gridaine, 1908 |
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| Cour de Rouen - passage du Commerce, 1908 |
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| Entree du Passage Moliere 157 Rue St. Martin, 1908 |
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| Hotel 4 Rue Grenier St. Lazare, 1908 |
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| Hotel 5 Rue Grenier St. Lazare, 1908 |
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| Hotel 34 Rue des Bourdonnais, 1908 |
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| Hotel de Montmorency - 5 rue de Montmorency, 1908 |
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| Hotel de Montmorency - 5 rue de Montmorency, 1908 |
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| Hotel Lenois de Mezieres payeur des rentes 19 Rue Michel le conte, 1908 |
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| Hotel Lenois de Mezieres payeur des rentes 19 Rue Michel le conte, 1908 |
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| Hotel Louis XV - 192 rue St. Martin, 1908 |
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| Le Rue Quincampoix, 1908 |
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| Brocanteur 38 rue Descartes, 1909 |
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| Maison de Rapport du Couvent St. Lazare - 105 Fbg. St. Denis, 1909 |
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| Un Coin Rue St. Medard au No. 11, 1909 |
(Photos by Eugène Atget)
