CORY REYNOLDS | DATE 7/8/2017

Relive turn-of-the-century Paris in the postcards of Eugène Atget

Reproduced from MFA Publications’ extraordinarily charming new book, Atget: Postcards of a Lost Paris, this turn-of-the-century postcard was mailed in 1905. It is captioned, “Cutting cats, tails, and ears. Here’s the shearer.” This was the call of the tradesman who docked pets’ tails, cropped their ears and neutered cats and dogs. This beast-grooming pop-up shop appears to be operating along the undeveloped banks of the Seine. In the hot-seat, a goat or sheep with hooves akimbo.