Hôtel Dodun, 21

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Atget's Hôtel Dodun, 21 pictures an 18th century relief carving of a female figure playing the flute. As noted in the title, the sculpture is a decorative element of the Hôtel Dodun, built in the 18th century, and an example of classic French Rococo architecture.5 Atget has captured the sculpture from a right angle, allowing for the turned face of the girl to be seen head-on as well as the Rococo floral and scroll decorative elements surrounding the sculpture. This photograph is an example of Atget’s unique approach to documenting sculptural works of “Old Paris.” Rather than merely documenting the works, he often photographed sculptures in context with their surroundings and in atmospheric conditions (early morning light, seasonal changes) that enhanced their character and gave them a haunting quality. His images of sculptures at Versailles, Saint-Cloud, and other grand homes and gardens like Hôtel Dodun, 21 also reveal his sensitivity to how light, shadow, and perspective could further transform the sculptural object.