Olivier, Nice (Olive Tree, Nice) c. 1900

Eugène Atget made this photograph, Olivier, Nice, using the albumen silver print process sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Atget meticulously documented the architecture and streetscapes of Paris and its surrounding areas. His choice of subject matter and his methods are quite interesting. On the one hand, this photograph offers an intimate look at nature. But it also reveals Atget’s interest in cataloging and preserving a record of the natural world around him, similar to his urban photography. Atget once said he possessed, “nothing but himself and his camera.” In a world that was rapidly industrializing, Atget turned his lens to that which was slowly disappearing. There is a quiet stillness in this photograph of an olive tree, one that invites reflection on the changing landscapes of France and the enduring presence of nature.