The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 26, 2024

The Park at Sceaux [April 1925, 7a.m.]

The Park at Sceaux [April 1925, 7a.m.]

1925
(French, 1857–1927)
Image: 22.9 x 17.6 cm (9 x 6 15/16 in.); Matted: 50.8 x 40.6 cm (20 x 16 in.)
Location: not on view

Description

After the turn of the 20th century, Atget began to photograph many of the magnificent châteaux and parks surrounding Paris. This photograph is from a series taken of the abandoned estate and garden at Sceaux in 1925 and is considered his rarest and finest. It records that fleeting moment when a tree's sculptural form and the beginning stubble of its spring foliage are both visible. Shooting directly into early morning light, Atget captured the stately trees casting long, shimmering reflections on the placid pond surface. By visually compressing the background with the foreground, he created the illusion that this scene took place on a single plane. The use of arrowroot paper, characterized by a velvety texture and cool gray tonal range, enhances the print's atmospheric quality. This picture acknowledges Atget's unmatched ability to combine descriptive information and expression subtly, thereby creating mysterious images of breathtaking beauty.
  • David Tunick, New York, NY
    September 3, 2002
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Drawn with Light: Pioneering French Photography from the Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 26-June 16, 2005).
    Cleveland, Ohio: The Cleveland Museum of Art; February 26 - June 16, 2005 . "Drawn with Light: Pioneering French Photography from the Cleveland Museum of Art".
  • {{cite web|title=The Park at Sceaux [April 1925, 7a.m.]|url=false|author=Eugène Atget|year=1925|access-date=26 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2002.68