Atget, Eugene, << aht ZHAY, oo ZHEHN >> (1857-1927), a French photographer, earned fame for his poetic pictures of France, particularly Paris, during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Atget took nearly 10,000 pictures. He made a historical record of the monuments of old Paris, including its houses, churches, streets, and courtyards, thus satisfying the popular interest in preserving the historic art and architecture of Paris. Atget also captured the street scenes, bars, and markets of Paris, as well as the gardens of Paris suburbs. In addition, he photographed decorative architectural details, such as stairways, doors, and mantelpieces. Atget intended to record his subjects in a straightforward documentary way, but his skill in capturing light and mood elevated his photographs into art.
Jean-Eugene-Auguste Atget was born on Feb. 12, 1857, in Libourne, France. He was an actor for several years until he turned to photography in the late 1880’s. In 1925, Atget met the American photographer Berenice Abbott. After his death on Aug. 4, 1927, she bought nearly half his remaining negatives and most of his prints. Abbott was largely responsible for preserving his work and winning international recognition for him as a great photographer.
