Atget’s Magnificent Door Knockers (1)

Eugène Atget, Heurtoir de Hôtel du Maréchal de Montmorency, Rue de Varenne 57, 1900 (2008.111.18)

When Atget sold a print of this photograph to the BNVP, his description of the work read “Rue de Varenne, 57 (7e Arr)–Hotel du Marcechal du Montmorency. Magnifique heuroir (Magnificent Door knocker).” Cited in Molly Nesibt’s, Atget’s Seven Albums, Appendix. (2008.111.18)

Google Street View, 57 Rue de Varenne, April 2018

This magnificent and lively door knocker appears to still exist in its original location. It seems to be almost unchanged, perhaps just slightly weathered, in the 119 years since Atget made his photograph.

Eugène Atget, Hotel d’Ecquevilly, 60 Rue de Turenne, 1901, (2010.114.17)

Google Street View, 60 Rue de Turenne, August 2017

This magnificent and whimsical door knocker (or at least most of it) appears to still exist in its original location, in the streets of Paris.

A selection of Eugène Atget’s magnificent door knockers presented in chronological order is an unlikely collaboration between Eugène Atget (1857-1927), Google Street View, and me. This is the first of five blog posts and there is an accompanying Google map.

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