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Mullein in Bloom — Eugène Atget

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Written by: Alice LaurentSenior Specialist · Modern & Contemporary Art
Miniature Painting · Catalogue no. 32123
Eugène Atget

Mullein in Bloom

StatusReference work · Not for sale
Held byCleveland Museum of Art
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Atget produced architectural details, views of historic Paris, landscapes, and botanical images for use by painters and illustrators. Despite being a product of the 19th century, he was greatly admired by the avant-garde photographers of the 1920s. Modernists esteemed the straightforwardness of his photographs, while the Surrealists found inspiration in their evocative power. An artist or illustrator using this image of a common plant used in herbal remedies would have ignored the landscape background. But the Surrealists would have appreciated the unexpected, unintended surrealism of its odd juxtaposition of sheet, plant, and landscape.

Artist / MakerEugène Atget
Datec. 1897–1899
Culture / OriginFrance, 20th century
Mediumalbumen print
DimensionsImage: 21.8 x 17.6 cm (8 9/16 x 6 15/16 in.); Paper: 21.8 x 18 cm (8 9/16 x 7 1/16 in.)
DepartmentPhotography
TypePhotograph
About the Artist

Eugène Atget French, 1857-1927 Relatively unknown to the public during his lifetime, Eugène Atget is today an icon -- one of the most celebrated and influential photographers of the 20th century. Born near Bordeaux, Atget first directed his efforts to painting and the stage before turning to photography shortly before 1890. He is best known for his documentary scenes of Paris and Versailles, but he photographed a number of other sites as well. Atget viewed his work as a historical… Full biography →

Provenance & Source

Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.

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