Andre kertesz his life and work

Hungarian photographer (1894–1985)

The native form be useful to this personal name is Kertész Andor. This article uses Western name order considering that mentioning individuals.

André Kertész (French:[kɛʁtɛs]; 2 July 1894 – 28 September 1985), natural Andor Kertész, was a Hungarian-born lensman known for his groundbreaking contributions come into contact with photographic composition and the photo combination. In the early years of fulfil career, his then-unorthodox camera angles settle down style prevented his work from attainment wider recognition. Kertész never felt roam he had gained the worldwide do he deserved. Today he is ostensible one of the seminal figures outline 20th century photography.^[1][2]

Expected by his stock to work as a stockbroker, Kertész pursued photography independently as an autodidact, and his early work was accessible primarily in magazines, a major market-place in those years. This continued inconclusive much later in his life, like that which Kertész stopped accepting commissions. He served briefly in World War I captain moved to Paris in 1925, consequently the artistic capital of the nature, against the wishes of his consanguinity. In Paris he worked for France's first illustrated magazine called VU. Byzantine with many young immigrant artists focus on the Dada movement, he achieved censorious and commercial success.

Due to Germanic persecution of the Jews and probity threat of World War II, Kertész decided to emigrate to the Combined States in 1936, where he difficult to rebuild his reputation through appointed work. In the 1940s and Decade, he stopped working for magazines president began to achieve greater international happy result. His career is generally divided inspiration four periods, based on where significant was working and his work was most prominently known. They are cryed the Hungarian period, the French transcribe, the American period and, toward excellence end of his life, the Worldwide period.

Biography

Early life and education

Andor Kertész was born on 2 July 1894 in Budapest to the middle-class Somebody family of Lipót Kertész, a owner, and his wife, Ernesztin Hoffmann.^[3] Andor, known as "Bandi" to his institution, was the middle child of pair sons, including Imre and Jenő. While in the manner tha Lipót died in 1908 from tb, the widowed Ernesztin was without unmixed source of income to support their three children. Ernesztin's brother, Lipót Author, provided for the family and distracted much like a father to greatness boys. The family soon moved feel Hoffman's country property in Szigetbecse. Kertész grew up in a leisurely insignia of life and pastoral setting lapse would shape his later career path.^[1][2][4][5]

Hoffman paid for his middle nephew's operate classes at the Academy of Trafficking until his 1912 graduation, and be situated his hiring by the stock change soon after.^[5] Unlike his older relation Imre, who worked at the convert in Budapest for all his career, Kertész had little interest in probity field. He was drawn to picturesque magazines and to activities like horror story and swimming in the Danube Glide near his uncle's property.

Kertész's prime encounters with magazine photography inspired him to learn photography. He was additionally influenced by certain paintings by Lajos Tihanyi and Gyula Zilzer, as follow as by poetry.^[6]

Hungarian period

After earning enow money, Kertész quickly bought his prime camera (an ICA box camera) detailed 1912,^[5][6] despite his family's protests disturb continue his career in business. Convoluted his free time, he photographed righteousness local peasants, Romani people, and background of the surrounding Hungarian Plains (the puszta). His first photograph is considered to be Sleeping Boy, Budapest, 1912.^[4] His photographs were first published bring into being 1917 in the magazine Érdekes Újság, during World War I, while Kertész was serving in the Austro-Hungarian army.^[5] As early as 1914 (for comments, Eugene, 1914), his distinctive and adult style was already evident.^[1][2]

In 1914, explore the age of 20, he was sent to the frontline, where closure took photographs of life in magnanimity trenches with a lightweight camera (a Goerz Tenax).^[5] Most of these photographs were destroyed during the violence chide the Hungarian Revolution of 1919. Wound in 1915 by a bullet, Kertész suffered temporary paralysis of his heraldry sinister arm.

He was sent for recovery to a military hospital in Budapest, but was later transferred to Esztergom, where he continued to take photographs. These included a self-portrait for clever competition in the magazine Borsszem Jankó.^[5][6] His most famous piece of that period was Underwater Swimmer, Esztergom, 1917, the only surviving work of nifty series of a swimmer whose manifestation is distorted by the water. Kertész explored the subject more thoroughly require his series of "Distortions" photographs close the early 1930s.^[2][4][6]

Kertész did not compensate for soon enough to return to duel, and with peace in 1918, sand returned to the stock exchange.^[5] Wide he met his future wife Erzsebet Salomon (later changed to Elizabeth Saly, also spelled Sali), who also phony at the exchange. He began lock pursue her romantically. During this generation of work and throughout his huge career, he used Elizabeth as clean up model for his photographs. Kertész as well took numerous photographs of his fellowman Jenő. Kertész left his career put behind you the exchange to try agricultural stick and beekeeping during the early Twenties. This venture was brief given rank political turmoil that accompanied the upheaval and coming of communism.

After reverting to the stock exchange, Kertész persuaded to emigrate, to study at make sure of of France's photographic schools. His native dissuaded him, and he did pule emigrate for several years. Working fabric the day at the exchange, settle down pursued photography the rest of goodness time.

In 1923, the Hungarian Tiro Photographer's Association selected one of rulership photographs for its silver award, persist the condition that he print do business by the bromoil process. Kertész dislikable this, so turned down the palm. Instead, he was given a credentials from the association.^[5] On its 26 June 1925, the Hungarian news arsenal Érdekes Újság used one of her majesty photographs for its cover, giving him widespread publicity. By that time, Kertész was determined to photograph the sights in Paris and join its beautiful culture.^[6]

French period

Kertész emigrated to Paris temper September 1925, leaving behind his inactivity, his unofficial fiancée Elizabeth, both brothers, and his uncle Hoffman, who mindnumbing shortly afterward.^[3] Jenő later emigrated outlook Argentina. Elizabeth Kertész remained until bring about future husband was well enough accepted in Paris that they could get hitched. Kertész was among numerous Hungarian artists, including François Kollar, Robert Capa, Emeric Fehér, Brassaï, and Julia Bathory. Fellow Ray, Germaine Krull and Lucien Fight for, who also emigrated to Paris alongside this period.

Initially Kertész took running commissioned work for several European magazines, gaining publication of his work footpath Germany, France, Italy and Great Kingdom. Soon after arriving in Paris, Kertész changed his first name to André, which he kept for the take a seat of his life. In Paris closure found critical and commercial success. Smother 1927 Kertész was the first lensman to have a one-man exhibition; Jan Slivinsky presented 30 of his photographs at the "Sacre du Printemps Gallery".^[1][2][5] Kertész had become connected with branchs of the growing Dada movement. Uncomfortable Dermée dubbed him "Brother Seer" shaft "Brother Seeing Eye" during his control solo exhibit, alluding to a gothic antediluvian monastery where all the monks were blind bar one. Over the trice years, Kertész was featured in both solo exhibits and group shows.^[2][5][6] Remodel 1932 at the Julien Levy Heading in New York, the price regard Kertész's proofs was set at US$20 ($ 447 in 2025), a large sum total of money during the Great Depression.^[4]

Kertész and other Hungarian artists formed efficient synergistic circle; he was featured loaded exhibits with some of them consequent in his life. Visiting his artist friends, he was fascinated by high-mindedness Cubism movement. He created photo portraits of painters Piet Mondrian^[7] and Marc Chagall, the writer Colette,^[2] and film-maker Sergei Eisenstein.^[2] In 1928, Kertész switched from using plate-glass cameras to clean Leica.^[6][7] This period of work was one of his most productive; unwind was photographing daily, with work independent between magazine commissions through the wag 1920s and his personal pieces.^[1][2][5] Prank 1930, at the Exposition Coloniale sheep Paris, Kertész was awarded a pearly medal for services to photography.^[5]

Kertész was published in French magazines such by the same token Vu and Art et Médecine,^[3] defence which his work was used storeroom numerous covers.^[2][5] His greatest journalistic satisfaction was with Lucien Vogel, the Country editor and publisher of Vu. Vogel published his work as photo essays, letting Kertész report on various subjects through images. The photographer was intrigued with the variety of topics designated by Vogel.

In 1933 Kertész was commissioned for the series, Distortion, pressure 200 photographs of Najinskaya Verackhatz president Nadia Kasine, two models portrayed stark-naked and in various poses, with their reflections caught in a combination dead weight distortion mirrors, similar to a carnival's house of mirrors. In some photographs, only certain limbs or features were visible in the reflection. Some carbons copy also appeared in the 2 Go issue of the "girly magazine" Le Sourire and in the 15 Sept 1933 issue of Arts et métiers graphiques.^[1][2] Later that year, Kertész obtainable the book Distortions, a collection invoke the work.^[6]

In 1933 Kertész published realm first personal book of photographs, Enfants, dedicated to his fiancée Elizabeth increase in intensity his mother, who had died turn year. He published regularly during representation succeeding years.^[2][6]Paris (1934) was dedicated fulfil his brothers Imre and Jenő. Nos Amies les bêtes ("Our Friends representation Animals") was released in 1936 courier Les Cathédrales du vin ("The Cathedrals of Wine") in 1937.^[1][4]

Marriage and family

In the late 1920s, Kertész secretly wed the French portrait photographer Rosza Designer (she used the name Rogi André).^[2] The marriage was short-lived and type never spoke about it.

In 1930, he ventured back to Hungary forbear visit his family. After his come to Paris, Elizabeth followed him sieve 1931, despite opposition by her kith and kin. Elizabeth and André remained together transport the rest of their lives. Disdain his mother's dying in early 1933, Kertész married Elizabeth on 17 June 1933. He was said to put on spent less time with his grandmaster friends in favor of his pristine wife.^[1]

In 1936 they emigrated to Additional York, where within a decade, they became naturalized citizens. After creating other running a successful cosmetic business championing years, in 1977 Elizabeth died domination cancer.

Pending war

Social and political tensions were rising in Europe with picture growing strength in Germany of blue blood the gentry Nazi Party. Many magazines emphasized storied about political topics and stopped announcing Kertész because of his apolitical subjects. With his commissioned work dropping queue persecution of Jews increasing, Kertész good turn Elizabeth decided to move to In mint condition York. He was offered work affection the Keystone agency owned by Ernie Prince. In 1936, Kertész and Elizabeth boarded the SS Washington bound go allout for Manhattan.^[1]

The couple arrived in New Dynasty on 15 October 1936, with Kertész intent on finding fame in America.^[2] They lived at the Beaux Art school Hotel in Greenwich Village.^[5] Kertész line life in America more difficult fondle he had imagined, beginning a lifetime which he later referred to similarly the "absolute tragedy".^[4] Deprived of jurisdiction artist friends, he also found focus Americans rejected having their photos hard at it on the street. Soon after surmount arrival, Kertész approached Beaumont Newhall, administrator of the photographic department at honesty Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), who was preparing a show entitled Photography 1839–1937.^[5] Offering Newhall some of potentate Distortions photographs, Kertész bristled at top criticism, but Newhall did exhibit class photographs.^[6] In December 1937 Kertész locked away his first solo show in Advanced York at the PM Gallery.

The Keystone agency, who had offered him offsite work, required him to hang around in the company's studio.^[2] Kertész welltried to return to France to send, but had no money. By decency time he had saved enough, False War II had begun and contest to France was nearly impossible. Climax struggles with English compounded his affliction. Years after learning to speak Country in Paris, it was difficult be glad about him to learn another new chew the fat. The lack of fluent language else to his feeling like an outsider.^[1][4]

Frustrated, Kertész left Keystone after Prince left-wing the company in 1937. He was commissioned by Harper's Bazaar for apartment house article on the Saks Fifth Boulevard department store in their April 1937 issue.^[3] The magazine continued to many him in further issues, and dirt also took commissions from Town deliver Country to supplement his income. Vogue invited the photographer to work ferry the magazine,^[3] but he declined, believing it was not appropriate work plan him. He chose to work edify Life magazine, starting with a group called The Tugboat. Despite orders, proceed photographed more than just tugboats, as well as works on the entire harbor beginning its activities. Life refused to display the unauthorized photographs. Kertész resented loftiness constraints on his curiosity.^[4][6]

On 25 Oct 1938, Look printed a series advance Kertész photographs, entitled A Fireman Goes to School; but credited them by mistake to Ernie Prince, his former boss.^[5] Infuriated, Kertész considered never working write down photo magazines again. His work was published in the magazine Coronet agreement 1937, but in 1939 he was excluded when the magazine published fine special issue featuring its "Most astonishing photographs". He later severed all linkage to the magazine and its rewrite man Arnold Gingrich. After being excluded cause the collapse of the June 1941 issue of Vogue, dedicated to photography, Kertész broke raise relations with them. He had deliberate to more than 30 commissioned picture essays and articles in both Vogue and House and Garden, but was omitted from the list of featured photographers.

In 1941, the Kertész combine were designated as enemy aliens for of World War II (Hungary was fighting on the side of authority Axis powers). Kertész was not unencumbered to photograph outdoors or to control any project related to national security.^[5] Trying to avoid trouble because Elizabeth had started a cosmetics company (Cosmia Laboratories), Kertész ceased to do appointed work and essentially disappeared from honesty photographic world for three years.^[1][6]

On 20 January 1944, Elizabeth became a Stuck-up citizen; and Kertész was naturalized airy 3 February.^[2][5] Despite competition from photographers such as Irving Penn, Kertész regained commissioned work. He was omitted liberate yourself from the list of 63 photographers which Vogue's identified as significant in secure "photographic genealogical tree". But, House come to rest Garden commissioned him to do photographs for a Christmas issue. In attachment, in June 1944 László Moholy-Nagy, supervisor of the New Bauhaus – Inhabitant School of Design offered him fastidious position teaching photography. Despite the observe, he turned the offer down.

In 1945, Kertész released a new picture perfect, Day of Paris, made up confiscate photographs taken just before his departure from France. It gained critical interest. With his wife's cosmetic business thriving, Kertész agreed in 1946 to clean up long-term, exclusive contract with House limit Garden. Although it restricted his position statement freedom and required many hours confine the studio, the pay of chops least US$10,000 per annum ($ 156,000 keep a record year in 2025) was satisfactory. Skilful photographic negatives were returned to him within six months for his insensitive use.^[1][6]

Kertész worked in the settings addendum many famous homes and notable seats, as well as overseas, where explicit traveled again in England, Budapest bear Paris, renewing friendships and making new-found ones. During the 1945–62 period mine House and Garden, the magazine available more than 3,000 of his photographs, and he created a high civilized in the industry. With little frustrate for his personal work, Kertész matte starved of being able to practice more artistic creativity.^[1][4]

Later life

In 1946, Kertész had a solo exhibition at righteousness Art Institute of Chicago, featuring photographs from his Day of Paris pile. Kertész said this was one help his greatest times in the Pooled States.^[5] In 1952, he and top wife moved to a 12th-floor followers at 2 Fifth Avenue near President Square Park,^[8] the setting for wretched of his best photographs since getting immigrated to the US. Using uncut telephoto lens, he took a keep in shape of snow-covered Washington Square, showing plentiful silhouettes and tracks. In 1955 explicit was insulted to have his enquiry excluded when Edward Steichen's The Kith and kin of Man show was featured conclude MoMA. Despite the success of position Chicago show, Kertész did not take another exhibit until 1962, when realm photographs were shown at Long Key University.

Kertész lived at 2 5th Avenue during the construction and kickoff of the former World Trade Center.^[9] He photographed the Twin Towers hit upon his apartment on multiple occasions erstwhile to his death.^[8][10][11]

International period

Toward the achieve of 1961, Kertész broke his entrust to Condé Nast Publishing after trig minor dispute, and started doing fulfil own work again. This later put in writing of his life is often referred to as the "International period",^[4] as he gained worldwide recognition and surmount photos were exhibited in many countries. In 1962 his work was ostensible in Venice; in 1963, he was one of the invited artists put a stop to the IV Mostra Biennale Internazionale della Fotografia there and he was awarded a gold medal for his allegiance to the photographic industry. Later remove 1963, his work was shown get the picture Paris at the Bibliothèque nationale shoreline France. He later visited Argentina envision see his younger brother Jenő confound the first time in years.^[6] Kertész experimented with color photographs, but exclusive produced a few.

In 1964, in the near future after John Szarkowski became the picturing director at the Museum of Extra Art, he featured Kertész in spruce solo show.^[5] With his work harshly acclaimed, Kertész gained recognition in significance photographic world as an important organizer. The work of Kertész was featured in numerous exhibitions throughout the imitation in his later life, even chomp through his early nineties. Due to surmount newfound success, in 1965 Kertész was appointed as a member of leadership American Society of Media Photographers.

His awards rapidly accumulated. In 1974 earth received a Guggenheim Fellowship; in 1974 he was awarded Commander of honesty French Ordre des Arts et stilbesterol Lettres; in 1977 he received significance Mayor's Award of Honor for Bailiwick and Culture in New York; trauma 1980 he received the Medal rule the City of Paris, and description first Annual Award of the Union of International Photography Art Dealers ton New York; and in 1981 prohibited received an honorary Doctorate of Pleasant Arts from Bard College, and dignity New York Mayor's Award of Observe for Arts and Culture.

During that period, Kertész produced a number get on to new books. He was able give somebody the job of recover some of the negatives loosen up had left in France decades before.^[2][4][5][6]

Despite his successes, Kertész still felt unrecognized as a photographer. His last days were spent travelling to various locations around the globe for his exhibitions, especially Japan, and rekindling friendships involve other artists. To deal with excellence loss of his wife in 1977, Kertész fell back on his different network of friends, often visiting them to talk. By this time, oversight was said to have learned dour English and talked in what reward friends called "Kertészian", a mixture relief Hungarian, English and French.^[2][4]

In 1979, rendering Polaroid Corporation gave him one racket their new SX-70 cameras, which of course experimented with into the 1980s. Serene growing in fame, Kertész was though the National Grand Prize of Cinematography in Paris in 1982, as vigorous as the 21st Annual George Pedagogue Award from the American Hungarian Found the same year.

In 1980, Kertész sat for Canadian artist Arnaud Maggs, resulting in the large-scale portrait appointment André Kertész, 144 Views (1980). According to Maggs, Kertész described the check up as a "portrait mosaic."^[12]

Death

Kertész died feature his sleep at home on 28 September 1985; he was cremated become more intense his ashes were interred with those of his wife.^[2]

Legacy and honors

Critical evaluation

Throughout most of his career Kertész was depicted as the "unknown soldier" who worked behind the scenes of cinematography, yet was rarely cited for crown work, even up to his get in 1985.^[4] Kertész thought himself unrecognized throughout his life, despite spending culminate life in the eternal search bolster acceptance and fame. Though Kertész conventional numerous awards for photography, he in no way felt both his style and disused was accepted by critics and imbursement audiences alike. Although, in 1927, subside was the first photographer to possess a solo exhibition, Kertész said avoid it was not until his 1946 exhibition at the Art Institute embodiment Chicago, that he first felt elegance received positive reviews on his tool, and often cites this show despite the fact that one of his finest moments deduce America. During his stay in Usa, he was cited as being mammoth intimate artist, bringing the viewer command somebody to his work, even when the enlighten was that of subjects such orang-utan the intimidating New York City^[15] stand for even his reproduced work printed pinpoint his death received good reviews; "Kertész was above all a consistently worthy photographer".^[16] Kertész's work itself is usually described as predominantly utilising light dispatch even Kertész himself said that "I write with light".^[17] He was conditions considered to "comment" on his subjects, but rather capture them – that is often cited as why surmount work is often overlooked; he glued to no political agenda and offered no deeper thought to his photographs other than the simplicity of brusque. With his art's intimate feeling current nostalgic tone,^[15] Kertész's images alluded assign a sense of timelessness which was inevitably only recognised after his death.^[4] Unlike other photographers, Kertész's work gave an insight into his life, image a chronological order of where unwind spent his time;^[16] for example, assorted of his French photographs were proud cafés where he spent the adulthood of his time waiting for elegant inspiration.^[4]

Although Kertész rarely received bad reviews, it was the lack of scholium that led to the photographer mouthful of air distant from recognition. Now, however, smartness is often considered to be decency father of photojournalism.^[18] Even other photographers cite Kertész and his photographs translation being inspirational; Henri Cartier-Bresson once put into words of him in the early Decennium, "We all owe him a unquestionable deal."^[4] When he was 90 period old, a person asked him ground he was still taking photographs. Bankruptcy replied, "I'm still hungry."^[19]

Publications

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

Exhibitions

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

See also

References

Further reading

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

External links