L'éclipse, Avril 1912 1912

This photograph, "L'éclipse, Avril 1912," was made by Eugène Atget in Paris using a large-format camera and glass plate negatives. The sepia tones and soft focus give it a timeless quality, but it is important to remember that photography was both a science and a craft in Atget's time. The making of a photograph involved a deep understanding of chemistry and optics, as well as a degree of physical labor in preparing the plates and developing the prints. The choice of camera, lens, and developing process all influenced the final image. The image depicts a crowd of Parisians gazing upwards to witness a solar eclipse. Atget's photographs are often considered documents of a disappearing Paris, but they are also products of a specific moment in the history of technology. Considering the labor and skill involved in their making allows us to appreciate them not just as historical records, but as crafted objects. It blurs the lines between fine art and technical craft.