Joueur d'orgue (Organ Player) 1898 - 1899

Eugène Atget's "Joueur d'orgue (Organ Player)" (1898-99) is a poignant photo documenting everyday Parisian life. Atget, known for his meticulous documentation of Paris, captures a street musician pushing his organ, a scene common in the city at the time. The photograph's stark realism, characteristic of Atget's work, emphasizes the working class and their livelihoods in late 19th-century France. The composition, with the musician and his organ in the center, and a young girl beside him, creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability, adding a poignant dimension to this historical snapshot. The image, now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago, is a testament to Atget's legacy as a chronicler of the vanishing world of old Paris.