André Kertész

Andre Kertesz in the New York Public Library, 1982, via Wikipedia.

Who was André Kertész?

André Kertész, originally named Andor Kertész, was a Hungarian photographer who made significant contributions to the field of photography and the concept of the photo essay. He was known for his innovative approaches to composition and camera angles, although his unique style initially hindered his recognition in the early stages of his career. Despite his immense talent, Kertész always felt that he did not receive the global recognition he deserved. Today, he is regarded as a pivotal figure in 20th century photography.

Although Kertész's family expected him to pursue a career as a stockbroker, he independently pursued photography as a self-taught artist. His early works were primarily published in magazines, which served as a major platform during that time. He continued this pattern until later in his life when he no longer accepted commissioned projects. Kertész briefly served in World War I before relocating to Paris in 1925, which was then considered the artistic hub of the world, despite his family's objections. In Paris, he worked for VU, France's first illustrated magazine. He became involved with young immigrant artists and the Dada movement, gaining both critical acclaim and commercial success.

With the rise of German persecution against Jews and the looming threat of World War II, Kertész made the decision to immigrate to the United States in 1936. In the US, he had to rebuild his reputation through commissioned work. In the 1940s and 1950s, he transitioned away from magazine assignments and achieved greater international success. Kertész's career is often categorized into four distinct periods, reflecting where he primarily worked and where his work gained the most prominence. These periods are referred to as the Hungarian period, the French period, the American period, and the International period, which marked the final stage of his life.

Circus, Budapest, 19 May 1920, via Wikipedia.

Biography

Early years

Andor Kertész was born in Budapest on 2 July 1894 to a middle-class Jewish family. His father, Lipót Kertész, was a bookseller, and his mother, Ernesztin Hoffmann, struggled to support their three children after Lipót's death from tuberculosis in 1908. Ernesztin's brother, Lipót Hoffmann, stepped in to support the family and became a father figure to Andor and his two brothers, Imre and Jenő. The family moved to Hoffmann's property in Szigetbecse, where Andor grew up in a serene and rural environment that would shape his future career.

Hoffmann funded Andor's business education at the Academy of Commerce, and upon his graduation in 1912, arranged for his employment at the stock exchange. However, unlike his brother Imre, Andor had little interest in the field and was instead captivated by illustrated magazines and leisure activities such as fishing and swimming in the Danube River near his uncle's property.

Kertész's exposure to magazine photography ignited his passion for the medium, and he drew inspiration from the works of painters Lajos Tihanyi and Gyula Zilzer, as well as poetry. These influences drove him to pursue photography as a career.

Hungary

Andor Kertész purchased his first camera, an ICA box camera, in 1912, despite his family's objections. During his free time, he captured photographs of local peasants, gypsies, and the landscapes of the Hungarian Plains. One of his earliest known photographs is Sleeping Boy, Budapest, taken in 1912. His work was published for the first time in 1917 in the magazine Érdekes Újság while he was serving in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I. Even as early as 1914, at the age of 20, his distinct and mature style was already evident.

In 1914, Kertész was sent to the frontline and documented life in the trenches using a lightweight camera, the Goerz Tenax. Unfortunately, many of these photographs were destroyed during the violence of the Hungarian Revolution of 1919. Kertész was wounded in 1915 and temporarily lost the use of his left arm. He received treatment in military hospitals, first in Budapest and then in Esztergom, where he continued to take photographs. One notable image from this period is Underwater Swimmer, Esztergom, 1917, which depicts a swimmer distorted by the water. Kertész further explored this theme in his "Distortions" series during the early 1930s.

Unable to fully recover in time to return to combat, Kertész resumed his work at the stock exchange following the end of the war in 1918. It was there that he met Elizabeth Saly, his future wife, who also worked at the exchange. Kertész began a romantic relationship with Elizabeth, who would later become a frequent model for his photographs. He also captured numerous images of his brother, Jenő. In the early 1920s, Kertész briefly left his career at the exchange to explore agricultural work and beekeeping, but due to political turmoil and the rise of communism, this venture was short-lived.

Although Kertész aspired to emigrate and study at a photography school in France, his mother dissuaded him, and he delayed his plans for several years. He continued working at the stock exchange during the day while pursuing photography in his free time. In 1923, one of his photographs was selected for a silver award by the Hungarian Amateur Photographer's Association, with the condition that he print it using the bromoil process. Disliking this requirement, Kertész declined the medal but received a diploma from the association instead. On 26 June 1925, one of his photographs was featured on the cover of the Hungarian news magazine Érdekes Újság, which brought him significant publicity. By this time, Kertész was determined to capture the sights of Paris and immerse himself in its artistic culture.

A SX-70 camera model similar to the one Kertész experimented with in the late 1970s and into the 1980s, via Wikipedia.

French

In September 1925, Kertész left Hungary and emigrated to Paris, leaving behind his mother, unofficial fiancée Elizabeth, his brothers, and his uncle Hoffman. He joined a community of Hungarian artists, including François Kollar, Robert Capa, Brassaï, and Julia Bathory, as well as other notable figures like Man Ray, Germaine Krull, and Lucien Aigner, who had also settled in Paris during that time.

Initially, Kertész took on commissioned work for various European magazines, gaining recognition in Germany, France, Italy, and Great Britain. He quickly achieved critical and commercial success in Paris. In 1927, Kertész became the first photographer to have a solo exhibition when Jan Slivinsky showcased 30 of his photographs at the "Sacre du Printemps Gallery." He established connections with members of the emerging Dada movement, and during his first solo exhibit, he was given the monikers "Brother Seer" and "Brother Seeing Eye" by Paul Dermée, drawing a comparison to a medieval monastery where all the monks were blind except for one.

Over the following years, Kertész participated in both solo and group exhibitions, and in 1932, his proofs were priced at a substantial sum of $20 (equivalent to $429 in 2023) during the Great Depression at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York. Kertész formed close relationships with other Hungarian artists and was inspired by the Cubism movement. He captured photographic portraits of prominent figures such as Piet Mondrian, Marc Chagall, Colette, and Sergei Eisenstein. In 1928, he switched from using plate-glass cameras to a Leica, resulting in a highly productive period where he produced daily photographs for both commissioned magazine work and personal projects.

Kertész's photographs appeared in renowned French publications such as Vu and Art et Médecine, with his work often featured on magazine covers. One of his significant collaborations was with Lucien Vogel, the editor and publisher of Vu, who assigned Kertész various subjects for photo essays. The photographer found the diverse topics assigned by Vogel intriguing.

In 1933, Kertész embarked on a commissioned series called "Distortion," which involved photographing two models, Najinskaya Verackhatz and Nadia Kasine, in a combination of distortion mirrors. The resulting images depicted their nude forms and reflections captured in unconventional ways, often showing only specific limbs or features in the reflections. Some of these photographs were published in Le Sourire and Arts et métiers graphiques. Kertész later compiled the series into a book called "Distortions."

During this period, Kertész published several personal books of photographs. In 1933, he released "Enfants," dedicated to his fiancée Elizabeth and his mother who had passed away that year. He continued publishing regularly, with books like "Paris" (1934) dedicated to his brothers Imre and Jenő, "Nos Amies les bêtes" ("Our Friends the Animals") in 1936, and "Les Cathédrales du vin" ("The Cathedrals of Wine") in 1937.

Personal life

In the late 1920s, Kertész entered into a secret marriage with Rosza Klein, a French portrait photographer who was known professionally as Rogi André. However, the marriage was brief and Kertész never openly discussed it.

In 1930, Kertész made a journey back to Hungary to visit his family. Upon returning to Paris, Elizabeth, his unofficial fiancée at the time, decided to join him in 1931 despite opposition from her own family. Elizabeth and André remained together for the remainder of their lives. Despite the passing of his mother in early 1933, Kertész and Elizabeth officially tied the knot on 17 June 1933. As their relationship solidified, Kertész began spending less time with his artist friends, prioritizing his new wife.

In 1936, the couple made the decision to immigrate to New York. Over the following decade, they obtained naturalized citizenship in the United States. They went on to establish a successful cosmetic business, which they ran together. Unfortunately, Elizabeth passed away from cancer in 1977.

In 1952, Kertész moved into an apartment on the 12th floor of 2 Fifth Avenue (the high-rise building to the left of the Washington Square Arch). From his apartment, he took some of his best photographs of Washington Square Park and the Twin Towers of the former World Trade Center, via Wikipedia.

Second World War

As tensions rose in Europe due to the growing strength of the Nazi Party in Germany, Kertész faced challenges in his photography career. Many magazines began focusing on political topics and stopped publishing Kertész's work, which primarily featured apolitical subjects. As commissions declined and persecution of Jews increased, Kertész and Elizabeth made the decision to relocate to New York. In 1936, they boarded the SS Washington and arrived in Manhattan. Kertész hoped to achieve fame in America.

However, life in America proved more difficult than he had imagined. Deprived of his artist friends and facing a language barrier, Kertész found it challenging to connect with American society. Americans were generally reluctant to have their photographs taken on the street, further limiting his opportunities. Kertész approached Beaumont Newhall, the director of the photographic department at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), offering him some of his "Distortions" photographs. Although Kertész bristled at Newhall's criticism, the photographs were exhibited.

In 1937, Kertész had his first solo exhibition in New York at the PM Gallery. He briefly worked for the Keystone agency but left after the owner, Ernie Prince, departed from the company. Kertész received commissions from Harper's Bazaar, Town and Country, and other magazines to supplement his income. He declined an offer to work for Vogue, feeling that it was not the right fit for him. Instead, he chose to work for Life magazine, but his unauthorized photographs beyond the assigned subject matter were refused publication, frustrating his curiosity.

There were instances of misattribution and exclusion of Kertész's work in publications. Look magazine mistakenly credited his photographs to Ernie Prince, and he felt infuriated. He considered severing ties with photo magazines altogether. He faced exclusion from certain issues of Vogue and Coronet, which led to his decision to break off relations with those publications. In 1941, due to Hungary's alignment with the Axis powers during World War II, Kertész and Elizabeth were designated as enemy aliens, restricting his outdoor photography and involvement in projects related to national security.

Elizabeth became a US citizen in 1944, followed by Kertész in February of the same year. Despite facing competition from photographers like Irving Penn, Kertész regained commissioned work. He released a book titled "Day of Paris" in 1945, which received critical acclaim. Kertész agreed to an exclusive contract with House and Garden magazine in 1946, providing financial stability, but limiting his artistic freedom. During this period, he worked extensively for the magazine, photographing famous homes and places both in the United States and abroad. Over 3,000 of his photographs were published by House and Garden, establishing his reputation in the industry. However, Kertész felt a lack of time for personal work and artistic creativity during this period.

Later period and the end of the days

In 1946, Kertész held a solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, showcasing photographs from his "Day of Paris" series, which he considered one of his greatest experiences in the United States. In 1952, he and his wife moved to an apartment near Washington Square Park, where he captured notable images, including a series of snow-covered scenes in Washington Square using a telephoto lens. In 1955, Kertész felt insulted when his work was excluded from Edward Steichen's exhibition, "The Family of Man," at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Despite the success of his Chicago exhibition, Kertész faced a gap in opportunities until 1962 when his photographs were displayed at Long Island University.

During the construction and inauguration of the World Trade Center, Kertész lived at 2 Fifth Avenue and photographed the Twin Towers from his apartment. In 1961, he ended his contract with Condé Nast Publishing after a minor dispute and began focusing on his own work. This period, often referred to as the "International period," brought him worldwide recognition and exhibitions in various countries. In 1963, he received a gold medal at the IV Mostra Biennale Internazionale della Fotografia in Venice, and his work was displayed at the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris.

In 1964, Kertész had a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, curated by John Szarkowski, solidifying his status as an important artist in the photographic world. Throughout his later life, Kertész's work was featured in numerous exhibitions globally. He received various awards and honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1974, the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1974, and the Mayor's Award of Honor for Arts and Culture in New York in 1977. In the 1980s, Kertész experimented with Polaroid cameras and received accolades such as the National Grand Prize of Photography in Paris in 1982.

During this period, Kertész published several new books, recovering some of his lost negatives from his earlier years in France. Despite his achievements, Kertész still felt unrecognized as a photographer. He spent his last years traveling for exhibitions, particularly in Japan, and reconnecting with artist friends. Following the death of his wife in 1977, Kertész relied on his network of friends for support. He passed away in his sleep at home on 28 September 1985 and was cremated, with his ashes interred alongside those of his wife.

Critical viewpoints

Throughout the majority of his career, Kertész was known as the "unknown soldier" of photography, working diligently behind the scenes but seldom receiving proper recognition for his work, even until his passing in 1985. Despite his lifelong pursuit of acceptance and fame, Kertész believed that he remained unrecognized throughout his life. Despite receiving numerous photography awards, he felt that critics and art audiences never fully embraced his unique style and body of work. It wasn't until his exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1946 that he felt he received positive reviews and considered it one of his greatest moments in America.

During his time in America, Kertész was praised as an intimate artist who invited viewers into his work, even when capturing subjects as imposing as the bustling city of New York. Even after his death, reproductions of his work continued to receive acclaim, with reviewers describing Kertész as a consistently exceptional photographer. His work was characterized by its skillful use of light, and Kertész himself once remarked, "I write with light." He was not known for offering explicit commentary on his subjects but instead focused on capturing them as they were, with simplicity and an absence of political agenda. This approach sometimes led to his work being overlooked, as he presented life in its purest form. Kertész's photographs evoked an intimate and nostalgic atmosphere, conveying a sense of timelessness that only became fully appreciated after his passing. Unlike many photographers, his images provided glimpses into his own life, offering a chronological account of his experiences. For instance, his French photographs often depicted the cafés where he spent long hours seeking artistic inspiration.

While Kertész rarely received negative reviews, it was his lack of explicit commentary that created a sense of distance from wider recognition. However, he is now widely regarded as the father of photojournalism, and his work continues to inspire other photographers. Henri Cartier-Bresson once expressed, "We all owe him a great deal," acknowledging Kertész's immense influence. Even at the age of 90, when questioned about why he still took photographs, Kertész simply replied, "I'm still hungry."