Pont Marie 1912

Eugène Atget made this photograph of the Pont Marie in Paris sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Atget was a commercial photographer, and his work gives us a glimpse into a city undergoing immense change. The Pont Marie, built in the early 17th century, connects the Île Saint-Louis to the rest of Paris. Bridges like this were vital arteries for the circulation of people, goods, and ideas. Atget's choice to photograph it suggests an interest in the structures that enable social life. But it's important to note that Atget wasn't just documenting the city; he was also shaping how it would be remembered. His photographs were sold to archives and libraries, contributing to the construction of a collective memory of Paris. In that sense, he was participating in the institutionalization of culture. To fully understand Atget’s work, historians can consult city archives, architectural plans, and period guidebooks. These resources can reveal the social and political context in which Atget operated, and help us understand the complex relationship between art, memory, and urban life.