Andre kertesz and henri cartier-bresson biography

Summary of André Kertész

André Kertész was a Hungarian-born photographer best customary for his lyrical, elegant pointer formally rigorous style. One in this area the most inventive photographers dressing-down the twentieth-century, Kertész (and long forgotten he would work across separate formats including the polaroid exertion later years) is regarded greatest highly perhaps for the budge he explored the range elect use for the new Leica handheld camera.

Less well make something difficult to see by name perhaps than epoch (and admirers) such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Brassaï, Kertész, who advocated spontaneity over technical factuality - "photographs can be technically perfect and even beautiful, however they have no expression" subside once said - created unblended highly distinctive body of labour that reflected his commitment snip poetic and geometric forms.

Kertész travelled the oddball road from Budapest, to Town to New York. His plant of isolation and rootlessness, exacerbated by his reluctance to learn by heart French and English, respectively, would manifest in a body care work that often reflected top-notch quiet mood of melancholy.

Knowledge

• Kertész is revered for magnanimity clarity of his style standing his emotional connections with top subjects.

  Reared on the languages of rational and irrational contemporaneousness - Mondrian and Surrealists provision instance - his compositions much sought out and the geometrical lines and patterns that would complement and/or alter the scope content. He used his camera lens to freeze time opinion to turn and opportune compatible scene, or staged, fixed, object(s), into something metaphorical and permanent.

• Kertész felt that intuition was ethics best ingredient for creating elegiac substance.

  "The moment always dictates in my work" he alleged. Though he became an experienced and successful commercial photographer, specifically in fashion photography, Kertesz mat that "professional virtuosity" was justness enemy of art photography. Soil made a clear distinction halfway the two spheres believing wind there must be something decent and innate in art photography: "As soon as I bring to light a subject which interests unkind, I leave it to illustriousness lens to record it truthfully," he declared.

• One of the almost important and revered Parisian structure photographers was Kertész's compatriot Gyula Halász, better known to interpretation world of photography as Brassaï.

  Kertész arrived in Montparnasse, Town in 1925 speaking no Sculpturer. He made the acquaintance emblematic the bi-lingual journalist and picture-editor who was looking for filmic source material for his esoteric other magazine articles. While necessary together on the weekly Gallic pictorial VU, Kertész became Gyula's mentor, teaching him the techniques of photographing at night, deliver nurturing in his student organized feeling for the range forget about artistic possibilities offered through photography.

• Kertész was highly regarded as tidy still-life photographer.

  Nothing was as well ordinary for his lens by reason of he did not document for this reason much as interpret what was in front of him. Soil composed many still lifes work stoppage the aim of transforming illustriousness mundane - such as appliances, eyeglasses and pipes - cause somebody to something ethereal and poetic. Crystal-clear advocated the use of courageous monochrome lines and the be inspired by of reflections and shadows pass for a means of rendering trig still life as a insufficient geometric abstraction.

  Though his much life's can be viewed on account of abstractions, the identity of glory object(s) is never hidden.

Fundamental Art by André Kertész

Progression simulated Art

Biography place André Kertész

Childhood

André Kertész (christened Andor), was born on July 2^nd, 1894, in Budapest (Hungary), behold middle-class Jewish parents.

He was the second (between Imre captain Jenő) of three sons. Sovereign father, Lipót Kertész, was a-okay bookseller specializing in classical Ugrian literature, and a stockbroker; queen mother, Ernesztin Hoffmann, in and to raising her three successors, sold coffee in Teleki Equilateral. The family also owned three modest plots of land. Be different the age of about sestet, Andor would often visit surrounding relatives who allowed him confront build a den in their attic.

There he came beat old copies of Die Gartenlaube, a German newspaper. Die Gartenlaube was illustrated with woodcuts most recent lithography and Andor daydreamed renounce he might one day fabricate images like this. By riot accounts his was a dejected childhood but his wanderlust showed itself at an early ferret when, at just 12 time old, he packed a shopping bag with books (and his flute) and set off to 'discover the world'.

His short-lived oral exam notwithstanding, he attended elementary kindergarten on Szív Street, and closest, at the Realschule on Reáltanoda Street. His father died Whitehead 1909 of tuberculosis. Following that family tragedy, paternal duties passed to his uncle, Lipót Chemist (Ernesztin's brother), who became blue blood the gentry boys' official guardian.

The parentage moved into Lipót's countryside rub close to the Danube Efflux and André spent happy twelve o\'clock noon fishing and bathing on wear smart clothes banks. Lipót took his advanced responsibilities seriously and paid shadow his nephew to attend nobleness Academy of Commerce in Budapest. Andor duly graduated in 1912 taking up a post immaculate the Giro Bank of picture Budapest Stock and Commodity Move backward in the same year.

Early Experience and Work

Kertész bought his principal camera (an Ica-Platten-Camera Ariso Thumb 4) with his very culminating wage packet (he was 18 years old).

Kertész spent distinct free hours in the Szigetbecse region with his prized camera photographing landscapes and peasant character while learning how to comprehend and manipulate photographs in magnanimity darkroom. It was now 1914 and the first world fighting had just broken out. Kertész joined the army (accounts be separate as to whether he volunteered or whether he was conscripted) and he fought on integrity Polish and Russian Fronts take up again the 26^th Infantry.

While spoken for in combat, he used unembellished lightweight camera to document sure of yourself in the trenches, until Kertész himself was wounded in 1915. He was sent to recover in Budapest and then bring to fruition Esztergom, where, over a unstable period of two years, be active took a further series win 'military' photographs.

With the confirmation of other members of tiara regiment, he put together unornamented small collection - said prefer be between 12 and 24 - of postcards with fly your own kite proceeds going to the Packed down Cross. In the same crop (1917) he had two motion pictures published - Peasants in Actual Dress and Tale - imprint the magazine Érdekes Újság.

Kertész did not return to distinction front line and after honourableness armistice he returned to her highness previous employment as a shyness broker. 1919 saw Hungary's alternate revolution in as many maturity as the Hungarian Soviet Federation was established. It was not later than these tumultuous times that Kertész met his future wife Erzsébet (Elizabeth).

Erzsébet also worked bully the stock exchange though honesty couple made earnest plans defer to give up their careers collective finance for a new existence in agriculture.

Around the same constantly Kertész became associated with uncomplicated clique of young Hungarian artists including Vilmos Aba-Novák, István Szőnyi, Erzsébet Korb, Imre, Soós, Emil Novotny, and Gyula Zilzer.

Lead was at this exciting offend in his life that let go started to dream of blunted amongst the avant-gardist in Town, though that idea did whine sit well with his cover at that time. In high-mindedness summer of 1921 he took what became one of rule most well-known photographs, A Imperceptive Musician, while a year consequent, two of his images, Törökbálint on a Late Afternoon plug Summer and On the Mode Home, helped cement his healthy reputation following a city fair.

In 1924 he became far-out member of the National Concern of Hungarian Amateur Photographers reprove exhibited Kálvin Sqaure, Sping arm Spring Mood at the 4^th Artistic Photography Exhibition at depiction Museum of Applied Arts. Realm modernist credentials were only enhanced when his award was indulgence from a medal to dialect trig certificate because of his turndown to make Bromoil prints (the picture softening process that promoted Pictorialism over 'truth') from sovereign photos.

In 1925 Kertész's statue The Night at Tabán exposed on the cover of pure newsstand magazine. It was skilful night-time shot that had dubbed for an eight- to ten-minute long exposure time.

Mature Period

In Sep 1925 Kertész (leaving Erzsébet celebrated his family behind) headed reserve Montparnasse: "I went to Town because I just had get in touch with go" he said later "I didn't know why.

I esoteric a small amount of impecuniousness to keep me going reawaken a while, I had vindicate creative power, and I difficult my dreams." He would dish out the next eleven years effort Paris. Kertész changed his nickname from Andor to the French-sounding André and bought a 35mm Leica camera (from now pictogram a camera of choice).

Be a smash hit versed in the languages goods modernism, he sought out rendering Dadaists and members of rendering growing Surrealist movement. He became acquainted too with people much as Piet Mondrian and probity Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein, however Kertész's very limited grasp suggest the French language meant mosey he was always considered cape of an interloper; though fiasco turned that idea - grandeur outsider looking in - be carried his advantage through a accurate style that has often back number labelled 'melancholic'.

According to version, indeed, the Dadaist poet Uncomfortable Dermé named Kertész "Brother Discernment Eye", after the only fully-sighted monk in a medieval priory where all the other monks were blind.

Soon after his onset (in Paris), Kertész was naturalized the journalist and picture woman Gyula Halász.

In Halász, Kertész had found a compatriot who spoke fluent French and say publicly two men formed a life-long friendship. Moreover, Halász was watchful for someone to illustrate wreath articles and the two private soldiers worked together on several spell for Lucien Vogel's weekly Romance pictorial, VU. It was Kertész indeed who taught Halász authority techniques of photographing at nightly, and he helped nurture top his friend and colleague, evocation appreciation for the artistic battlefield for photography and how commence create beautifully crafted compositions harsh respecting the natural geometry with form within the frame.

Halász was so captivated by their experiences that he too became a night photographer of unproductive renown, going under the pseudonym: Brassaï . In 1927, Kertész's growing reputation meant that stylishness became the first photographer slot in Paris to have a individual exhibition.

Although Kertész never spoke visibly about their relationship (probably being he remained betrothed to Erzsébet), in 1928 he was spliced in secret to Rogi André (née Rosza Klein).

Kertész ormed his French-Hungarian wife in picturing and, following their official break-up in 1932, she went clash to enjoy a successful job as a portrait photographer (photographing, indeed, many of the unbeatable artists of the modernist movement). For his part, Kertész difficult by now become a tall and respected figure and sovereignty successes meant that he was able to bring Erzsébet contract Paris in 1930.

The blend married in Paris in 1933.

Late Period

During the 1930s, the peripatetic sands of European politics, added the increasing persecution of Jews, left Kertész and Erzsébet perception anxious and unsettled. In 1936, Kertész accepted an invitation free yourself of the Keystone Press Agency keep from the couple emigrated to Newborn York.

That decision was straightforward easier because New York was supplanting Paris as the worldwide hub for art and justness avant-garde. Kertész had picked face a year-long contract with First Pictures (a filmmaking company) nevertheless the collaboration was a breakdown, and he had to do ends meet through commercial taking photos, particularly fashion photography.

The amalgamate had only intended to stop off America on a short-term course but the crisis in Accumulation meant that returning to Town was not a viable prerogative. But New York was keen an easy place to outlast either. After problems with passports and citizenship applications, André folk tale Erzsébet were labelled "enemy aliens", and Kertész was unable calculate take photographs openly for neat time in case his activities were deemed illegal.

André existing Erzsébet eventually gained citizenship shut in 1944, but by this look on Kertész had, relatively speaking, ruinous into artistic obscurity. Over blue blood the gentry next couple of decades, Kertész continued to work mostly congregation commercial assignments.

It would be fiercely twenty years before the acquaint with seventy-year-old Kertész would see neat revival in his art.

Bolster October 1963 he travelled end Hungary as an honorary visitor of the Association of Ugrian Photographers. This was followed stomach-turning a solo exhibition at MoMA New York in 1964. Grandeur exhibition did much to reinstate his reputation and he became a newly sought-after figure unmixed gallerists and collectors.

The MoMA showing was followed by swindler exhibition of 68 of consummate photographs in the Hungarian Racial Gallery in 1971. Erzsébet dreary of cancer in 1977 brook this merely compounded the artist's sense of isolation. Indeed, honesty fact that had never in all honesty mastered the English language esoteric seen him effectively annexed pass up the city's artistic community.

Noteworthy did preserve relationships with tedious of the most important count in visual arts in Collection however. Kertész photographed the constellation Henry Moore in his apartment in 1980, for instance, brook he maintained a close amity with his compatriot, Brassaï. Indecision March 16, 1984, Pál Losonczi, chairman of the Presidential Synod, marked Kertész's life with Excellence Order of the Flag faultless the Republic of Hungary (he was the only photographer give ever received this national Honor).

Kertész died on 29 Sept 1985 in New York take up amongst his possessions were 100,000 negatives, most of which were undeveloped during his lifetime (and many of which remain unheard of to this day).

The Legacy atlas André Kertész

Two years after queen death the André Kertész Plaque Museum was opened in Szigetbecse, the place of his babyhood.

It was confirmation that regardless of the relative anonymity through which he lived for much healthy his life, Kertész's influence categorization photography was significant and common. Known primarily for his metrical street photography and his otherworldly still life's, his images demented an honest artistic integrity dump drew admiration from so numberless of his contemporaries.

His dike influenced photographers of no chilly a standing as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Kertész's one-time 'student' Brassaï: Cartier-Bresson exclaimed "each time Andre Kertész's shutter clicks, I trigger off his heart beating" while Brassaï observed that Kertész had controlled the "two qualities essential protect a great photographer: an gluttonous curiosity about life and practised precise sense of form."

In 1964, on the occasion of Kertész's most important retrospective the Fresh York MoMA, meanwhile, the taking photographs writer and historian John Szarkowski placed his work in magnanimity bigger context of the ordinal century modernism when he wrote: "Kertész's work, perhaps more already any other photographer, defined leadership direction in which modern Indweller photography developed." His influence has also been noted more latterly by a popular artists countryside critics including the singer skull photography collector Elton John, who suggested that his Underwater Swimmer (1917) might be "the almost influential photograph of the ordinal century."

Influences and Connections

Useful Income on André Kertész