Hôtel Gouthières, 6 rue Pierre Bulet 1905

This photograph, "Hôtel Gouthières, 6 rue Pierre Bulet," was captured by Eugène Atget, who wandered Paris with his camera, documenting its architectural details. Look at how the light catches the elaborate carvings above the doorway. There’s a beautiful texture created by the layering of detail and the shadowing. It reminds me of a complex impasto in paint, where each layer of detail is built upon the last, creating depth and substance. I'm drawn to the way Atget uses light to emphasize the material qualities of the architecture. The soft grey tones and the way the light gently falls across the surface – there’s a subtle and tender quality to the light, like it's embracing the building. Atget's work reminds me a little of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who also had an interest in documenting architecture, but there’s a sensitivity here, a tenderness, that feels distinctly Parisian. It's a quiet nod to the beauty that exists in the everyday.