Eugène Atget, a renowned photographer of old Paris, began creating "documents for artists" in the 1890s, capturing trees, objects, and street scenes essential for painting compositions. From 1897 onward, Atget systematically photographed Paris, focusing on its heritage. Commissioned by the city's heritage committee, he produced series such as "Picturesque Paris" and "Art in Old Paris," depicting changing urban landscapes. His extensive work features abandoned urban environments, everyday objects, and eerie, humanless street scenes, evoking nostalgia and poetry. Atget operated methodically across neighborhoods, using morning light to capture thousands of images. His unique vision influenced surrealists, notably inspiring Berenice Abbott, who later introduced his work to the U.S. This book features around 170 images from the Carnavalet Museum collection, offering an aesthetic journey through Atget's lens, accompanied by an exhibition at the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation.
