Berenice Abbott and Eugène Atget

by Clark Worswick

Eugene Atgets photographs of Paris between 1898 and 1927 form the bedrock of an American modernist photographic vision. In 1927, Berenice Abbott, one of the centurys most renowned photographers in her own right, became the largest collector of Atgets work when she purchased his estate. For the next 40 years (19291969), Abbott devoted much of her creative life to popularizing the work of Atget. Representing her vision of Atgets tapestry of Parisian life, this book reproduces and discusses the rare prints created by Abbott from Atget negatives one of the few instances of one great photographer printing another great photographers work. Over 100 duotone photos are featured, some of which Abbott developed from previously unpublished Atget negatives. The Atget prints are ... a rare and subtle perception, and represent perhaps the earliest expression of true photographic art. Ansel Adams

Genres: Photography, Art

161 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Shelley Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are all Atget's photos, no photos of Abbott's (except her photo of Atget). The photos are beautiful and remind me of Brassai. Atget was Abbott's mentor and she treasured his photos. Many of the ones in this book were previously unpublished. She kept all his negatives... The text gives the history of their relationship. Abbott first worked with Man Ray, then Atget. Fascinating story....

[Elizabeth Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as research for my novel, My Phantom: The Memoir of Christine Daaé. Atget's wonderful photographs were so wonderful I tried another book of his pix.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good amount of previously unpublished photos, but wordy.