Hôtel de Villars, 116 Rue de Grenelle 1905 - 1906

Editor: So, this is Eugène Atget’s photograph of the fireplace in the Hôtel de Villars. I'm struck by how it captures this moment of stillness in a grand, yet somehow somber, interior. What do you see here, considering the context of its creation? Curator: Atget documented pre-modern Paris just as modernization threatened its existence. How does his seemingly objective portrayal of this opulent interior, with its statuettes and clock, actually function as a commentary on the values of a fading aristocracy in the face of a changing world? Editor: So, it's not just about the beauty of the fireplace, but about documenting a shift in power? Curator: Exactly. Atget’s photographs highlight the quiet disappearance of a certain way of life, preserved for posterity. Editor: That gives me a new appreciation for what he was trying to communicate.