Versailles, Vase 1905

Here we have an image made by Eugène Atget, it captures a vase in Versailles with photography. What draws me to this photograph is the way Atget has documented the wear and tear on the stone vase. It’s about process; the process of ageing. The surface of the vase feels both solid and fragile, a sense that comes from the soft, grainy texture of the photograph. Looking closely, you can see little flecks and imperfections, almost like a rough sketch on a smooth surface. The details around the rim of the vase are blurry, but there's a focus on the carvings, where cherubic figures huddle together. Atget seems to nod to a different way of seeing. Like looking at a painting by Corot, where the muted tones and hazy light create a kind of dreamlike atmosphere. Both artists invite us to embrace ambiguity, finding beauty in the imperfect.