Parc de Versaille bosquet de la Colonnade 1905

This is a photograph of the Parc de Versaille, taken by Eugène Atget. It pictures the bosquet de la Colonnade with classical architecture and lush greenery, rendered in soft, sepia tones. I am immediately drawn to the way Atget has framed the colonnade. It feels like a stage set, a proscenium through which nature performs. The formality of the stone structures contrasts with the wildness of the foliage behind, a play between order and chaos that is super interesting. You can see the texture of the stone, weathered and worn, which gives it a tangible, almost sculptural quality. Atget's interest was in documenting the changing face of Paris, and here he captures a moment of tranquility and timelessness. He’s part of a conversation with other artists of his time, grappling with how to represent the modern world, and its relationship to history. It makes you think about the nature of photography itself, as a medium that freezes a moment in time.