Page 33 - Studio International - December 1971

each of the first two books has serious drawbacks. contain a lot of photographs that one can be model precedent in the special edition of
Mr Trottenberg's misguided notion of yoking grateful for. But neither is as good an Camera devoted to Atget. Not only are the full-
Atget to Proust, and his concern for a nostalgic introduction to Atget as Miss Abbott's long- page reproductions there as big as one need go
period charm and prettiness, led him too often unobtainable Atget, Photographe de Paris. with Atget, but the smaller ones of various
to what was marginal or even boring in Atget's No, it seems plain that what we still sizes, when put in the context of the larger ones
work; and the style of the photographic printing desperately need is a two- or three-volume so that one can expand them with the mind's
in the book is unintelligent.39 But unfortunately edition that will bring together all of Atget's eye, are quite large enough and demonstrate how
Miss Abbott's book is by no means entirely major works, regardless of whether they have a much fuller selection of Atget's work could be
satisfactory either. The quality of the been reproduced before and of any included in a single volume than has been the
reproductions must have been especially heart- `disproportions' that may occur; I mean, if case so far. (As a matter of fact, there really
breaking to an editor who is herself a superb there are fifty great tree pictures we should seems no reason why, as a 200-page appendix,
craftsman and who has given such unstinted have them all. The pictures should be dated as we could not have all his pictures, in 35 mm size,
and selfless service to Atget for forty years. precisely as possible and should be titled for ease arranged in series.) The choice of pictures in
Moreover, it must be said reluctantly that the of reference where Atget himself has failed to do Camera is also first-rate, and the juxtapositions
selection of photographs in it isn't quite what so. They should also be annotated, since it are very intelligent and illuminating. As to the
one had been hoping for, there being too many would often help considerably to know such photographic printing (the occasional
items that seem to be there chiefly to display the things as the precise location of a scene, the discrepancies, I take it, are due to the printing
range of Atget's concerns as a professional dates of buildings, the degree of poverty or of the journal itself) the slightly brown tone
photographer rather than for their intrinsic affluence revealed in rooms and façades, and the seems exactly right, even though less
merit, and that take up space that could have significance of costumes and icons. As to format pronounced than in Atget's own prints, and so
been occupied by much finer works. Both books and printing style, we fortunately now have a does the balance between 'fine' printing and an

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