Versailles, Vase par Ballin 1902

This photograph, "Versailles, Vase par Ballin," was captured by Eugène Atget. It presents a seemingly simple subject, but the craft behind the vase, and the photographic process itself, open up layers of meaning. Consider the vase: likely cast in sections through an intensive industrial process, smoothed, and finished by skilled artisans. It is no mere vessel, but a deliberate display of wealth and power. Its form references classical antiquity, while the profusion of ornament speaks to the grandeur of Versailles. Atget's process is equally important. His use of the albumen print, a popular photographic process of the time, results in a soft, almost painterly image. Through careful composition, Atget documents the artifact, its context, and the labor involved in its creation. By focusing our attention on the materiality and making of both the vase and the photograph, Atget encourages us to look beyond surface appearances and contemplate the social and cultural forces at play.