Versailles, Bosquet de l' Arc de Triomphe 1904

This photograph, "Versailles, Bosquet de l'Arc de Triomphe" was shot by Eugène Atget sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It’s a gelatin silver print, a technology that allowed for a greater range of tones, which you can really see in the way the light filters through the trees. I can imagine Atget setting up his camera, carefully composing the shot to capture the light and shadow playing across the sculptures. I wonder what he was thinking about as he framed this image, maybe reflecting on the passage of time, or the relationship between nature and artifice? There's a beautiful contrast between the formality of the sculpture and the wildness of the surrounding trees. He's doing something similar to what a painter does, really – using light and composition to create a mood and tell a story. Atget’s images have this timeless quality that continues to speak to artists today. We're all in conversation with each other, borrowing ideas and pushing boundaries.