Versailles, Bosquet de la Colonnade 1904

This photograph of the Bosquet de la Colonnade in Versailles was taken by Eugène Atget, though we don’t know exactly when. It’s an image built from subtle tonal shifts, soft browns and greys giving the impression of something solid beginning to dissolve. Atget really gets at the beautiful, material realness of things. Look at the statue in the foreground: the bodies are smooth and idealised, but the stone is rough and weathered, showing its age. The photograph does something similar, capturing a moment in time, but also revealing the slow process of decay. The light is diffused, almost hazy, which flattens the space and gives the image a dreamlike quality. I’m reminded of the way Corot would work, focusing on the quiet, poetic aspects of the landscape. Both artists seem interested in capturing not just what they see, but how it feels to be there, experiencing the world through light, texture, and atmosphere. For me, it shows that art is not just about representation, but about feeling.