Watch Speaking of Art: John Szarkowski on Eugene Atget

Speaking of Art: John Szarkowski on Eugene Atget is a documentary film that explores the work and artistic legacy of the French photographer Eugene Atget through the eyes of John Szarkowski, a prominent American photographer and writer. The movie is directed by Michael Blackwood and was released in 2005. Throughout the film, John Szarkowski offers his insights and perspective on Atget's photography, a selection of his most iconic images as well as his life and career. Szarkowski's commentary is interspersed with footage of Paris, Atget's subject matter, where many of his photographs were taken during the early 20th century.

The film starts with Szarkowski setting the stage for Atget's work, providing historical background and context on the photographer's life, at the turn of the 20th century. Szarkowski acknowledges Atget's influence on modern photography, particularly the idea of using photography as a means of documenting and preserving the past. The documentary highlights how Atget was passionate about capturing images of Parisian architecture, parks, and people that were disappearing as the city underwent rapid urbanization.

Szarkowski carefully walks the viewer through Atget's oeuvre as seen in his work, step by step, clarifying key moments in Atget's career, and exploring his stylistic and technical approaches. The film also covers Atget's philosophy, how he wished to use his photography as a way of depicting the reality, and how that reality was given and intended to be seen with realism uncompromised by artifice.

As the documentary unfolds, Szarkowski discusses Atget's use of lighting, composition, and technique in some of his most famous images, such as "Rue de Seine, 1926," and "Facade," both showcasing Parisian building exteriors. Szarkowski notes that Atget used a large-format camera and a tripod that allowed him to take sharp, detailed shots in natural light. He also emphasizes that Atget's mastery of composition allowed him to create sophisticated visual narratives through intricate framing and other techniques to draw in viewers and keep them involved.

One of the standout features of the documentary is the animation of some of Atget's images. The documentary makers skillfully use animation to recreate some of Atget's images from his photographic negatives. The viewer can see the images come to life as the camera pans across the scene.

Speaking of Art: John Szarkowski on Eugene Atget is not just a documentary but an educational tool. The viewer is offered an object lesson on the art of film in explaining an art form. They are also able to comprehend how Atget developed his artistic mode, honed his craft, and developed his signature. The viewer is also offered insight into how one artist can critique and analyze the work of another artist, highlighting that art is a living, breathing commentary on itself.

One of the most poignant aspects of the documentary is that it explores Atget's passionate desire to preserve the past. Szarkowski stresses that Atget's photographs, in many cases, are one of the few existing records of the areas he captured, as many of the buildings and streets depicted have since been destroyed or altered. To this point, one cannot watch this documentary without coming away with a sense of urgency about the importance of preserving imagery that captures people, events, times, and places of historical significance.

In conclusion, Speaking of Art: John Szarkowski on Eugene Atget is an engaging, informative, and visually appealing documentary that invites audiences to rediscover the fascinating world of Eugene Atget's photography through the lenses of John Szarkowski. The film provides an excellent overview of Atget's photography style and evolution, opening our eyes to the beauty of Parisian architecture and culture. For anyone interested in art, particularly photography, this documentary is a must-watch.

Speaking of Art: John Szarkowski on Eugene Atget is a 2004 documentary with a runtime of 36 minutes.