Versailles, Vase, Bassin de Neptune 1901

Eugène Atget captured this photograph of a vase in the Bassin de Neptune at Versailles in the late 19th or early 20th century. Atget, a documentarian of Parisian life, turned his lens to Versailles, a symbol of French aristocracy, during a period of significant social change. The vase, adorned with classical motifs, stands as a relic of a bygone era. The gardens of Versailles, designed to showcase royal power, were also sites of intense labor and inequality. Atget's photograph invites us to consider the complexities of this history. What does it mean to photograph such opulence, knowing the social cost of its creation? This image encapsulates the tension between beauty and exploitation, prompting reflection on the legacies of power embedded in landscapes and objects. Atget’s photograph of the vase serves as a poignant reminder of the stories etched into the stones of Versailles.