Versailles, Vase 1905

This gelatin silver print, taken by Eugène Atget, shows us a vase in Versailles, somewhere around the turn of the century. I just love the quiet stillness of this image, the way it almost feels like you’re stepping into a dream. Atget was really interested in documenting the architecture and gardens of Paris, and you can feel him wandering through the grounds of Versailles, looking for these moments of beauty. Imagine him, setting up his camera, carefully composing the shot. What was it like to be Atget in that moment? Did he enjoy the sunshine? Was he alone? The vase itself is so ornate, so classical, but Atget captures it in this simple, direct way, focusing on the way light hits the stone, the shadows that define its form. It’s like he’s trying to freeze a moment in time, to preserve something that might otherwise be lost or overlooked. And I think that's what so many artists attempt with a photograph, a painting, or a sculpture.