Artwork
Statue of Venus, Versailles, France
Statue of Venus, Versailles, France is a photographic photography by Jean-Eugène-Auguste Atget. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Before that, he worked as a sailor and an actor, which might explain why his pictures feel like quiet stage scenes.
This is a photo taken around 1900 of a Venus statue in Versailles, France. The artist, Atget, made pictures of Old Paris to save its fading details. He sold many of these prints to museums and libraries.
Atget started photography late in life. Before that, he worked as a sailor and an actor, which might explain why his pictures feel like quiet stage scenes. He lived alone in Paris, focusing on the city’s worn-out corners.
Look up the artist Atget, Jean-Eugène-Auguste.
Overview
This photograph, taken around 1900 by Jean-Eugène-Auguste Atget, captures a statue of Venus at Versailles, France. The image is part of Atget's extensive documentation of Old Paris, a project he undertook to record the city's fading architectural details.
Subject & Meaning
The subject of the photograph is a Venus statue, presented in a serene and isolated manner. The image conveys a sense of stillness, characteristic of Atget's work, which often featured quiet, stage-like scenes.
Technique & Style
Atget's photographic style is marked by a focus on detail and a tangential perspective, often resulting in unusual compositions. His work prefigured modern approaches to photography and Surrealism, with images that conveyed a distinctly modern experience of the city.
History & Provenance
Atget began his photography career in the late 1880s, after working as a sailor and an amateur actor. He lived a secluded life in Paris, dedicating himself to his project of documenting Old Paris from around 1897 until the 1920s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Eugène-Auguste Atget spent the early 1900s photographing Versailles when tourists were scarce, turning empty courtyards and statues into quiet studies of light and weather.
