Markt in Saint-Vougay 1901

This small photograph by Delizy, Markt in Saint-Vougay, captures a busy French market scene from who knows when. I imagine Delizy walking around this marketplace; the hustle and bustle, the colours of produce in the stalls, and the overall movement of people. It’s all right there, fixed in a moment. When artists like Delizy documented scenes like this, it’s like a conversation that continues across time. It reminds me of other photographers and painters, like Eugène Atget or even Pieter Bruegel, who looked at everyday life as something profound and important. You get the feeling that the composition grew organically, through trial, error, and intuition. There’s a lot of pleasure in imagining the different ways of seeing and thinking these artists bring. In the end, art is about exchange – a give and take – where everyone gets to add their voice and vision.