Musée d'Orsay's Photography Collection Explored in New Album

A new album published by Flammarion showcases the Musée d'Orsay's rich collection of photographs from the second half of the 19th century, with selections by leading art historians. The museum's focus on the birth of photography as an art form is highlighted, noting initial resistance from artistic circles like the Académie des beaux-arts, which eventually gave way to recognition. Technical innovations such as the calotype and paper-based processes, along with interest from notable amateurs like Victor Hugo, aided this acceptance. Early photographers turned their lenses to nature, the nude female body, architecture, cities, and battlefields, establishing both art photography and photojournalism. Many works in the collection are by anonymous creators, but the album gives significant attention to pioneer Eugène Atget.