Eugène Atget (12 February 1857 – 4 August 1927) was a French photographer and a pioneer of the street photography genre, noted for his determination to document all of the architecture and street scenes of Paris before their disappearance to modernisation. Most of his photographs were first published by Berenice Abbott after his death. He was an inspiration for the surrealists and other artists, his genius was only recognized by a handful of young artists in the last two years of his life, and he did not live to see the wide acclaim his work would eventually receive.
Between 1897 and 1927 Atget captured the old Paris in his pictures. His photographs show the city in its various facets: narrow lanes and courtyards in the historic city center with its old buildings, of which some were soon to be demolished, magnificent palaces from before World War II, bridges and quays on the banks of the Seine, and shops with their window displays. He photographed stairwells and architectural details on the façades and took pictures of the interiors of apartments. His interest also extended to the environs of Paris.
In addition to architecture and the urban environment, he also photographed street-hawkers, small tradesmen, rag collectors and prostitutes, as well as fairs and popular amusements in the various districts. The outlying districts and peripheral areas, in which the poor and homeless sought shelter, also furnished him with pictorial subjects.
http://www.nga.gov/feature/atget/bio.shtm National Gallery of Art, Washington DC (Date Accessed 28/02/15)
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