Paris is a city built on two millennia of history. This title leads us through what Goethe described as 'universal city where every step upon a bridge or a square recalls a great past, where a fragment of history is unrolled at the corner of every street'. It recounts this history in photographs, from Daguerre's incunabula to the recent images.

Paris promenade
Eugene Atget s unique city portrait

A flaneur and photographer at once, Eugene Atget (1857 1927) was obsessed with walking the streets. After trying his hand at painting and acting, the native of Libourne turned to photography and moved to Paris. He supplied studies for painters, architects, and stage designers, but became enraptured by what he called documents of the city and its environs. His scenes rarely included people, but rather the architecture, landscape, and artifacts that made up the...