Atget's Eye for Paris

Quiet gardens, hidden courtyards, and romantic quais.

Eugène Atget’s sepia photographs captured this enduring image of Paris over a century ago. Atget documented all of Paris’ forgotten corners—many now long-disappeared—as the belle epoque raged along the busy boulevards. One of the spring’s most-anticipated exhibitions, the Bibliothèque Nationale’s retrospective culls 300 of the most stunning images from its archive of over 4500 Atget photographs.

Our tour, led by a photography historian, is an ideal opportunity to learn more about the history of Paris through the work of one of its most influential photographers.

Email us to arrange for your 1.5-hour private tour with Paris Muse today.

Considered by some to be the world’s first modern photographer, Atget’s influence on art runs deep, beginning with the later Surrealists who described his photos as “the visions of a poet.”

As a retired theater actor, Atget approached the city’s “backstage”, where the lonely sets and props of its pre-Haussmann past lingered in dust. You’ll learn more about how Atget not only documented that past but used it to create a new visual language, where the simplest objects and spaces are charged with metaphor.

This exhibition opens on March 29 and runs through July 1. Tours are not available on Mondays, when the National Library, Site Richelieu is closed.

Rates. €75 for individuals, with a 2 person minimum, 4 person maximum. 1.5-hour tour. Includes price of admission.

Email us to arrange for your private tour with Paris Muse today.

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