This history of photography, based on one of the richest and most comprehensive collections in the world, traces the progression of photography from its origins in daguerreotypes to the gradual mastering of photographic portraits, techniques, and negatives. Showcasing the Musée d'Orsay's most precious and rare works - from a portrait of Baudelaire by Nadar to Muybridge's studies of animal locomotion, and from Atget's street scenes to a portrait of Man Ray by Stieglitz - this exquisite and detailed volume is essential reading for all photography lovers and amateurs.