Trace the history of the most comprehensive collection of Eugène Atget photographs.

Property of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Sold to Benefit the Development of MoMA's Collection

The Abbott-Levy Collection

Property of The Museum of Modern Art, New York • Sold to Benefit the Development of MoMA's Collection

Around 1900, Atget began to focus on his fascination with Le vieux Paris ("old Paris"). The city had recently undergone a transformation due to Haussmannization—an initiative led by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, which resulted in the demolition of medieval neighborhoods to create wide avenues and public parks. This upheaval sparked a growing fascination with Le vieux Paris, the capital in its 18th-century pre-Revolutionary state. Atget's appreciation for Le vieux Paris had always been a key aspect of his work, primarily intended for other artists, but by 1900, it became his main focus as he established himself as a specialist in capturing the essence of Paris. His calling card from this period stated, “E. Atget, Creator and Purveyor of a ‘Collection of Photographic Views of Old Paris.’”

Stroll through a map of Paris through old and new eyes.

Atget’s Le vieux Paris

Eugène Atget’s photographs not only were appreciated for their compositions and content, but they also served as utilitarian objects, used by artists who were his contemporaries as studies for paintings. Atget himself looked to generations of artists who came before him for inspiration.

Spot the art historical references in various scenes inspired by Atget’s contemporaries.

Name That Painting

Atget utilized a variety of papers throughout his lifetime. The selection of photographs on offer from The Museum of Modern Art are examples of three mediums: albumen prints, matte albumen prints, and printing-out-paper prints.

Uncover the characteristics of albumen, matte albumen, and printing-out-paper prints.

Photography 101

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Sotheby’s is delighted to present The World of Eugène Atget: Photographs from The Museum of Modern Art, an auction of seventy photographs of Paris and its environs. Comprising iconic street scenes, storefronts, parkscapes, botanicals, and still life, the auction offers a unique glimpse into late 19th and early 20th century Paris as well as an opportunity to engage with The Museum of Modern Art’s extensive exhibition and publication history.