French photographer Eugene Atget captured pre-World War I Paris before many of the city’s architectural splendors were lost to modernization and war. American-born photographer Berenice Abbott used her lens to preserve the physical changes of New York during the early 1930s. A DePaul University exhibition that juxtaposes the parallel work of these important photographers will open April 9 and run through May 16.

An opening reception for the free, public exhibition will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 9 in the university’s Art Gallery located in the Richardson Library, 2350 N. Kenmore Ave.

"Eugene Atget’s Paris and Berenice Abbott’s New York" immortalize two of the world’s greatest cities during periods of dramatic change. "It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of Atget and Abbott in the history of photography," said art gallery director Louise Lincoln. "Atget virtually invented straight documentary photography in Paris; Abbott advanced it in New York. And they both made incredibly beautiful and evocative images."

The exhibition comprises 41 photographs, 20 from each photographer’s cityscape collection, and a portrait Abbott took of Atget days before he died. The exhibition complements the spring quarter centennial theme for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The theme entitled "Towards a Just and Livable City" celebrates urban culture and people, and DePaul’s urban mission.

Atget was an actor traveling in and around Paris in the late 19^th century when he became acutely aware of the city’s physical transformation. In 1898 when construction of the Paris transit system caused the destruction of many buildings, Atget’s love of Paris inspired him to begin photographing the remaining historical sites.

Atget and Abbott’s paths crossed in Paris, when the latter was working as an assistant to noted sculptor Man Ray. A visual artist, Abbott has been quoted as saying that she was immediately struck by the "unadorned realism" of Atget’s photographs.

He used a big view camera and glass plate negatives, even after equipment and processing had been technologically improved. "This difficult process allowed for bigger negatives, which meant more fine detail and really rich images," explained Lincoln. "Abbott began to use a big format camera for the same reasons."

Abbott spent eight years in Paris, and on a visit to New York in 1929 was consumed by the desire to capture the physical change of the city. She had already established a name for herself as a photographer in Paris, but had to struggle to make it in New York. Finally, in 1936, the Federal Arts Project approved her proposal for funding to complete her projected entitled "Changing New York." In December 1937, the Museum of the City of New York organized a comprehensive exhibition of 110 of Abbott’s New York photographs.

DePaul Art Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday. The gallery is closed on Sundays. All DePaul Art Gallery exhibitions are free and open to the public. For more information call the art gallery at 773/325-7506.