Versailles, Bassin de Neptune 1902

This is a photograph of the Bassin de Neptune at Versailles, taken by Eugène Atget. The muted sepia tones lend the image a feeling of timelessness, like a memory softened by age. Atget wasn’t interested in capturing a perfect image, but in documenting the world around him. Here, the water is still, reflecting the elaborate stonework of the fountain and the trees beyond. The stone looks worn and rough, capturing the effects of weather and time. Look at the detail in the dragon’s scales, each one precisely rendered. They feel so solid, so present, it’s like you could reach out and touch them. The composition feels casually perfect, drawing your eye across the scene. Atget’s work reminds me a bit of the paintings of Giorgio Morandi, who transformed everyday objects into something quietly profound. Both artists encourage us to really see what’s in front of us, to appreciate the beauty in the mundane. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about opening up new ways of seeing.