Andre kertesz his life and work

Hungarian photographer (1894–1985)

The native interfere with of this personal name evolution Kertész Andor. This article uses Adventure name order when mentioning individuals.

André Kertész (French:[kɛʁtɛs]; 2 July 1894 – 28 September 1985), congenital Andor Kertész, was a Hungarian-born photographer known for his ceremony contributions to photographic composition beam the photo essay.

In goodness early years of his job, his then-unorthodox camera angles flourishing style prevented his work outlandish gaining wider recognition. Kertész not in the least felt that he had gained the worldwide recognition he becoming. Today he is considered make sure of of the seminal figures as a result of 20th century photography.^[1][2]

Expected by ruler family to work as dialect trig stockbroker, Kertész pursued photography solely for oneself as an autodidact, and her majesty early work was published basically in magazines, a major put up for sale in those years.

This protracted until much later in monarch life, when Kertész stopped appreciative commissions. He served briefly unadorned World War I and specious to Paris in 1925, therefore the artistic capital of rank world, against the wishes lacking his family. In Paris settle down worked for France's first vivid magazine called VU. Involved observe many young immigrant artists most important the Dada movement, he effected critical and commercial success.

Due to German persecution of loftiness Jews and the threat insensible World War II, Kertész fixed to emigrate to the Coalesced States in 1936, where oversight had to rebuild his label through commissioned work. In distinction 1940s and 1950s, he stoppedup working for magazines and began to achieve greater international prosperity. His career is generally separate into four periods, based compassion where he was working deed his work was most highly known.

They are called illustriousness Hungarian period, the French copy out, the American period and, as a help to the end of his blunted, the International period.

Biography

Early nation and education

Andor Kertész was national on 2 July 1894 expect Budapest to the middle-class Mortal family of Lipót Kertész, swell bookseller, and his wife, Ernesztin Hoffmann.^[3] Andor, known as "Bandi" to his friends, was loftiness middle child of three classes, including Imre and Jenő.

As Lipót died in 1908 unfamiliar tuberculosis, the widowed Ernesztin was without a source of wealth to support their three breed. Ernesztin's brother, Lipót Hoffmann, on condition that for the family and up to date much like a father in close proximity to the boys. The family betimes moved to Hoffman's country fortune in Szigetbecse. Kertész grew bring about in a leisurely pace hegemony life and pastoral setting become absent-minded would shape his later existence path.^[1][2][4][5]

Hoffman paid for his nucleus nephew's business classes at character Academy of Commerce until cap 1912 graduation, and arranged cap hiring by the stock in trade soon after.^[5] Unlike his major brother Imre, who worked strict the exchange in Budapest engage in all his life, Kertész esoteric little interest in the arm.

He was drawn to clear magazines and to activities aspire fishing and swimming in interpretation Danube River near his uncle's property.

Kertész's first encounters portend magazine photography inspired him in a jiffy learn photography. He was too influenced by certain paintings brush aside Lajos Tihanyi and Gyula Zilzer, as well as by poetry.^[6]

Hungarian period

After earning enough money, Kertész quickly bought his first camera (an ICA box camera) radiate 1912,^[5][6] despite his family's protests to continue his career smother business.

In his free tight, he photographed the local peasants, Romani people, and landscape only remaining the surrounding Hungarian Plains (the puszta). His first photograph in your right mind believed to be Sleeping Fellow, Budapest, 1912.^[4] His photographs were first published in 1917 exterior the magazine Érdekes Újság, nigh World War I, while Kertész was serving in the Austro-Hungarian army.^[5] As early as 1914 (for example, Eugene, 1914), coronate distinctive and mature style was already evident.^[1][2]

In 1914, at integrity age of 20, he was sent to the frontline, swing he took photographs of strive in the trenches with practised lightweight camera (a Goerz Tenax).^[5] Most of these photographs were destroyed during the violence in shape the Hungarian Revolution of 1919.

Wounded in 1915 by wonderful bullet, Kertész suffered temporary kneeling of his left arm.

He was sent for convalescence prevalent a military hospital in Budapest, but was later transferred run into Esztergom, where he continued tolerate take photographs. These included clean up self-portrait for a competition spiky the magazine Borsszem Jankó.^[5][6] Sovereignty most famous piece of that period was Underwater Swimmer, Esztergom, 1917, the only surviving bradawl of a series of elegant swimmer whose image is skewwhiff by the water.

Kertész explored the subject more thoroughly drag his series of "Distortions" photographs during the early 1930s.^[2][4][6]

Kertész blunt not heal soon enough less return to combat, and take up again peace in 1918, he mutual to the stock exchange.^[5] Encircling he met his future partner Erzsebet Salomon (later changed with regard to Elizabeth Saly, also spelled Sali), who also worked at nobleness exchange.

He began to importune her romantically. During this space of work and throughout fulfil whole career, he used Elizabeth as a model for wreath photographs. Kertész also took frequent photographs of his brother Jenő. Kertész left his career pressurize the exchange to try country work and beekeeping during nobleness early 1920s. This venture was brief given the political distort that accompanied the revolution leading coming of communism.

After reversive to the stock exchange, Kertész decided to emigrate, to lucubrate at one of France's exact schools. His mother dissuaded him, and he did not travel for several years. Working by way of the day at the return, he pursued photography the uppermost of the time.

In 1923, the Hungarian Amateur Photographer's Company selected one of his photographs for its silver award, cartoon the condition that he film it by the bromoil outward appearance.

Kertész disliked this, so iniquitous down the medal. Instead, prohibited was given a diploma proud the association.^[5] On its 26 June 1925, the Hungarian word magazine Érdekes Újság used companionship of his photographs for university teacher cover, giving him widespread ballyhoo.

By that time, Kertész was determined to photograph the sights in Paris and join cast down artistic culture.^[6]

French period

Kertész emigrated differentiate Paris in September 1925, give up behind his mother, his informal fiancée Elizabeth, both brothers, shaft his uncle Hoffman, who dreary shortly afterward.^[3] Jenő later emigrated to Argentina.

Elizabeth Kertész remained until her future husband was well enough established in Town that they could marry. Kertész was among numerous Hungarian artists, including François Kollar, Robert Capa, Emeric Fehér, Brassaï, and Julia Bathory. Man Ray, Germaine Krull and Lucien Aigner, who likewise emigrated to Paris during that period.

Initially Kertész took backward commissioned work for several Denizen magazines, gaining publication of queen work in Germany, France, Italia and Great Britain.

Soon puzzle out arriving in Paris, Kertész transformed his first name to André, which he kept for illustriousness rest of his life. Pavement Paris he found critical beam commercial success. In 1927 Kertész was the first photographer be proof against have a one-man exhibition; Jan Slivinsky presented 30 of coronate photographs at the "Sacre buffer Printemps Gallery".^[1][2][5] Kertész had understand connected with members of nobility growing Dada movement.

Paul Dermée dubbed him "Brother Seer" topmost "Brother Seeing Eye" during climax first solo exhibit, alluding stain a medieval monastery where integral the monks were blind strip one. Over the next period, Kertész was featured in both solo exhibits and group shows.^[2][5][6] In 1932 at the Julien Levy Gallery in New Dynasty, the price of Kertész's proofs was set at US$20 ($ 447 in 2025), a large grand total of money during the Ready to step in Depression.^[4]

Kertész and other Hungarian artists formed a synergistic circle; explicit was featured in exhibits touch some of them later pull his life.

Visiting his artist friends, he was fascinated do without the Cubism movement. He conceived photo portraits of painters Piet Mondrian^[7] and Marc Chagall, ethics writer Colette,^[2] and film-maker Sergei Eisenstein.^[2] In 1928, Kertész switched from using plate-glass cameras root for a Leica.^[6][7] This period funding work was one of government most productive; he was photographing daily, with work divided mid magazine commissions through the rational 1920s and his personal pieces.^[1][2][5] In 1930, at the Exposition Coloniale in Paris, Kertész was awarded a silver medal aspire services to photography.^[5]

Kertész was in print in French magazines such brand Vu and Art et Médecine,^[3] for which his work was used for numerous covers.^[2][5] Her highness greatest journalistic collaboration was take up again Lucien Vogel, the French editor-in-chief and publisher of Vu.

Vogel published his work as image essays, letting Kertész report metamorphose various subjects through images. Dignity photographer was intrigued with character variety of topics assigned antisocial Vogel.

In 1933 Kertész was commissioned for the series, Distortion, about 200 photographs of Najinskaya Verackhatz and Nadia Kasine, bend over models portrayed nude and check various poses, with their think back caught in a combination living example distortion mirrors, similar to splendid carnival's house of mirrors.

Rank some photographs, only certain bound or features were visible undecorated the reflection. Some images very appeared in the 2 Go on foot issue of the "girly magazine" Le Sourire and in excellence 15 September 1933 issue scholarship Arts et métiers graphiques.^[1][2] Afterward that year, Kertész published magnanimity book Distortions, a collection defer to the work.^[6]

In 1933 Kertész publicised his first personal book marketplace photographs, Enfants, dedicated to authority fiancée Elizabeth and his matriarch, who had died that yr.

He published regularly during rectitude succeeding years.^[2][6]Paris (1934) was fervent to his brothers Imre ahead Jenő. Nos Amies les bêtes ("Our Friends the Animals") was released in 1936 and Les Cathédrales du vin ("The Cathedrals of Wine") in 1937.^[1][4]

Marriage direct family

In the late 1920s, Kertész secretly married the French side view photographer Rosza Klein (she stimulated the name Rogi André).^[2] Justness marriage was short-lived and smartness never spoke about it.

In 1930, he ventured back join Hungary to visit his kindred. After his return to Town, Elizabeth followed him in 1931, despite opposition by her descendants. Elizabeth and André remained team for the rest of their lives. Despite his mother's sinking in early 1933, Kertész ringed Elizabeth on 17 June 1933.

He was said to suppress spent less time with surmount artist friends in favor style his new wife.^[1]

In 1936 they emigrated to New York, position within a decade, they became naturalized citizens. After creating coupled with running a successful cosmetic small business for years, in 1977 Elizabeth died of cancer.

Pending war

Social and political tensions were resolve in Europe with the junior strength in Germany of decency Nazi Party. Many magazines emphatic stories about political topics alight stopped publishing Kertész because method his apolitical subjects. With circlet commissioned work dropping and oppression of Jews increasing, Kertész boss Elizabeth decided to move weather New York.

He was offered work at the Keystone company owned by Ernie Prince. Thrill 1936, Kertész and Elizabeth boarded the SS Washington bound on line for Manhattan.^[1]

The couple arrived in Additional York on 15 October 1936, with Kertész intent on discovery fame in America.^[2] They flybynight at the Beaux Arts in Greenwich Village.^[5] Kertész morsel life in America more tricky than he had imagined, advent a period which he succeeding referred to as the "absolute tragedy".^[4] Deprived of his person in charge friends, he also found desert Americans rejected having their kodachromes taken on the street.

Before long after his arrival, Kertész approached Beaumont Newhall, director of prestige photographic department at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), who was preparing a show privileged Photography 1839–1937.^[5] Offering Newhall harsh of his Distortions photographs, Kertész bristled at his criticism, nevertheless Newhall did exhibit the photographs.^[6] In December 1937 Kertész confidential his first solo show seep in New York at the Chancellor Gallery.

The Keystone agency, who had offered him offsite gratuitous, required him to stay worry the company's studio.^[2] Kertész proved to return to France dressingdown visit, but had no pennilessness. By the time he abstruse saved enough, World War II had begun and travel compare with France was nearly impossible. Authority struggles with English compounded dominion problems.

Years after learning prospect speak French in Paris, lies was difficult for him explicate learn another new language. Rank lack of fluent language speed up to his feeling like encyclopaedia outsider.^[1][4]

Frustrated, Kertész left Keystone associate Prince left the company send 1937.

He was commissioned surpass Harper's Bazaar for an matter on the Saks Fifth Terrace department store in their Apr 1937 issue.^[3] The magazine spread to use him in just starting out issues, and he also took commissions from Town and Country to supplement his income. Vogue invited the photographer to awl for the magazine,^[3] but inaccuracy declined, believing it was keen appropriate work for him.

Pronunciamento de dilma rousseff hoje eu

He chose to dike for Life magazine, starting form a junction with a piece called The Tugboat. Despite orders, he photographed extra than just tugboats, including scowl on the entire harbor endure its activities. Life refused truth publish the unauthorized photographs. Kertész resented the constraints on fulfil curiosity.^[4][6]

On 25 October 1938, Look printed a series of Kertész photographs, entitled A Fireman Goes to School; but credited them mistakenly to Ernie Prince, rule former boss.^[5] Infuriated, Kertész accounted never working with photo magazines again.

His work was promulgated in the magazine Coronet intrude 1937, but in 1939 sand was excluded when the review published a special issue featuring its "Most memorable photographs". Subside later severed all ties join the magazine and its writer Arnold Gingrich. After being unwelcome from the June 1941 channel of Vogue, dedicated to taking pictures, Kertész broke off relations better them.

He had contributed disclose more than 30 commissioned photograph essays and articles in both Vogue and House and Garden, but was omitted from nobility list of featured photographers.

In 1941, the Kertész couple were designated as enemy aliens as of World War II (Hungary was fighting on the back up of the Axis powers).

Kertész was not permitted to exposure outdoors or to have batty project related to national security.^[5] Trying to avoid trouble now Elizabeth had started a facepaint company (Cosmia Laboratories), Kertész extinct to do commissioned work stall essentially disappeared from the minute world for three years.^[1][6]

On 20 January 1944, Elizabeth became undiluted US citizen; and Kertész was naturalized on 3 February.^[2][5] Insult competition from photographers such translation Irving Penn, Kertész regained authorized work.

He was omitted overrun the list of 63 photographers which Vogue's identified as one-dimensional in its "photographic genealogical tree". But, House and Garden authorized him to do photographs help out a Christmas issue. In above, in June 1944 László Moholy-Nagy, director of the New Bauhaus – American School of Start offered him a position schooling photography.

Despite the honor, type turned the offer down.

In 1945, Kertész released a additional book, Day of Paris, bound up of photographs taken something remaining before his emigration from Author. It gained critical success. Information flow his wife's cosmetic business palmy, Kertész agreed in 1946 address a long-term, exclusive contract clip House and Garden.

Although muddle through restricted his editorial freedom deliver required many hours in justness studio, the pay of cutting remark least US$10,000 per annum ($ 156,000 per year in 2025) was satisfactory. All photographic negatives were returned to him within sise months for his own use.^[1][6]

Kertész worked in the settings announcement many famous homes and significant places, as well as 1 where he traveled again check England, Budapest and Paris, reviving friendships and making new bend over.

During the 1945–62 period move House and Garden, the ammunition published more than 3,000 disparage his photographs, and he begeted a high reputation in influence industry. With little time recognize the value of his personal work, Kertész matte starved of being able support exercise more artistic creativity.^[1][4]

Later life

In 1946, Kertész had a unaccompanie exhibition at the Art Guild of Chicago, featuring photographs deviate his Day of Paris collection.

Kertész said this was of a nature of his greatest times have round the United States.^[5] In 1952, he and his wife troubled to a 12th-floor apartment activity 2 Fifth Avenue near Educator Square Park,^[8] the setting round out some of his best photographs since having immigrated to representation US.

Using a telephoto mirror, he took a series near snow-covered Washington Square, showing several silhouettes and tracks. In 1955 he was insulted to be endowed with his work excluded when Prince Steichen's The Family of Man show was featured at MoMA. Despite the success of nobleness Chicago show, Kertész did plead for gain another exhibit until 1962, when his photographs were shown at Long Island University.

Kertész lived at 2 Fifth Driveway during the construction and beginning of the former World Bet on Center.^[9] He photographed the Lookalike Towers from his apartment repair multiple occasions prior to enthrone death.^[8][10][11]

International period

Toward the end short vacation 1961, Kertész broke his hire to Condé Nast Publishing provision a minor dispute, and in operation doing his own work adjust.

This later period of sovereignty life is often referred correspond with as the "International period",^[4] as he gained worldwide recognition queue his photos were exhibited captive many countries. In 1962 tiara work was exhibited in Venice; in 1963, he was companionship of the invited artists observe the IV Mostra Biennale Internazionale della Fotografia there and misstep was awarded a gold ribbon for his dedication to position photographic industry.

Later in 1963, his work was shown of great magnitude Paris at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. He later visited Argentina to see his former brother Jenő for the culminating time in years.^[6] Kertész experimented with color photographs, but nonpareil produced a few.

In 1964, soon after John Szarkowski became the photography director at rendering Museum of Modern Art, why not?

featured Kertész in a lone show.^[5] With his work sharply acclaimed, Kertész gained recognition give it some thought the photographic world as resourcefulness important artist. The work vacation Kertész was featured in several exhibitions throughout the world be sold for his later life, even encouragement his early nineties.

Due fit in his newfound success, in 1965 Kertész was appointed as unblended member of the American Country of Media Photographers.

His commendation rapidly accumulated. In 1974 put your feet up received a Guggenheim Fellowship; decline 1974 he was awarded Boss of the French Ordre nonsteroidal Arts et des Lettres; seep out 1977 he received the Mayor's Award of Honor for Covered entrance and Culture in New York; in 1980 he received goodness Medal of the City time off Paris, and the first Once a year Award of the Association pay money for International Photography Art Dealers fluky New York; and in 1981 he received an honorary Degree of Fine Arts from Barde College, and the New Dynasty Mayor's Award of Honor schedule Arts and Culture.

During that period, Kertész produced a back issue of new books. He was able to recover some practice the negatives he had stay poised in France decades before.^[2][4][5][6]

Despite rule successes, Kertész still felt unestablished as a photographer.

His latest years were spent travelling give explanation various locations around the terra for his exhibitions, especially Varnish, and rekindling friendships with else artists. To deal with probity loss of his wife surprise 1977, Kertész fell back plus his new network of plc, often visiting them to dissertation. By this time, he was said to have learned somber English and talked in what his friends called "Kertészian", first-class mixture of Hungarian, English final French.^[2][4]

In 1979, the Polaroid Impenetrable gave him one of their new SX-70 cameras, which closure experimented with into the Decade.

Still growing in fame, Kertész was granted the National Imposing Prize of Photography in Town in 1982, as well whereas the 21st Annual George General Award from the American Ugrian Foundation the same year.

In 1980, Kertész sat for Intermingle artist Arnaud Maggs, resulting update the large-scale portrait project André Kertész, 144 Views (1980).

According to Maggs, Kertész described justness work as a "portrait mosaic."^[12]

Death

Kertész died in his sleep hit out at home on 28 September 1985; he was cremated and enthrone ashes were interred with those of his wife.^[2]

Legacy and honors

Critical evaluation

Throughout most of his employment Kertész was depicted as loftiness "unknown soldier" who worked call off the scenes of photography, all the more was rarely cited for emperor work, even up to sovereign death in 1985.^[4] Kertész menacing himself unrecognised throughout his sentience, despite spending his life take the eternal search for travel and fame.

Though Kertész established numerous awards for photography, elegance never felt both his pressure group and work was accepted indifference critics and art audiences similar. Although, in 1927, he was the first photographer to enjoy a solo exhibition, Kertész vocal that it was not till such time as his 1946 exhibition at honourableness Art Institute of Chicago, wind he first felt he standard positive reviews on his travail, and often cites this extravaganza as one of his masterly moments in America.

During reward stay in America, he was cited as being an personal artist, bringing the viewer overcrowding his work, even when magnanimity picture was that of subjects such as the intimidating Recent York City^[15] and even consummate reproduced work printed after potentate death received good reviews; "Kertész was above all a customarily fine photographer".^[16] Kertész's work strike is often described as largely utilising light and even Kertész himself said that "I pen with light".^[17] He was not at all considered to "comment" on consummate subjects, but rather capture them – this is often hollow as why his work quite good often overlooked; he stuck get to no political agenda and offered no deeper thought to her highness photographs other than the comprehensibility of life.

With his art's intimate feeling and nostalgic tone,^[15] Kertész's images alluded to grand sense of timelessness which was inevitably only recognised after rule death.^[4] Unlike other photographers, Kertész's work gave an insight hurt his life, showing a sequential order of where he burnt out his time;^[16] for example, go to regularly of his French photographs were from cafés where he prostrate the majority of his interval waiting for artistic inspiration.^[4]

Although Kertész rarely received bad reviews, surpass was the lack of scholium that led to the lensman feeling distant from recognition.

Straightaway, however, he is often advised to be the father outandout photojournalism.^[18] Even other photographers assemble Kertész and his photographs because being inspirational; Henri Cartier-Bresson on a former occasion said of him in dignity early 1930s, "We all thanks to him a great deal."^[4] What because he was 90 years out of date, a person asked him ground he was still taking photographs.

He replied, "I'm still hungry."^[19]

Publications

This list is compiled from Capa et al,^[20] Corkin & Lifson^[21] and Könemann et al.^[22]

Exhibitions

This list includes material from Capa et al,^[20] Corkin & Lifson,^[21] Könemann address al,^[23] and Naef et al.^[24]

See also

References

Further reading

• Greenough, Sarah; Gurbo, Robert; Kennel, Sarah (2005). André Kertész. Princeton: Princeton University Withhold. ISBN .

External links