Étang de Corot, Ville-d'Avray (Corot's Pond, Ville-d'Avray) 1900 - 1910

Here's a gelatin silver print photograph by Eugène Atget: Étang de Corot, Ville-d'Avray. Atget was capturing a scene that had also been painted by Corot, and you can imagine him setting up his camera, probably on a tripod. It’s all about capturing the light, the way the water reflects, the dark, looming shapes of the trees – it feels very calm. I wonder what it was like for Atget to make this image, what he was thinking as he carefully framed this scene? Did he see himself in dialogue with Corot? I can feel the stillness of the water, and the way it mirrors the boat. There’s a quietness and I think that by embracing this Atget allows us to see the scene in a new light. The composition is so careful, it gives everything a kind of dreamy, quiet feel. Painters and photographers are always looking at each other, you know, exchanging ideas and pushing each other to see the world in new ways. And in the end, it's that shared curiosity and exchange that keeps art alive.