André Kertész

About the Artist

André Kertész. Untitled (Self-Portrait). July 1927. Gelatin silver print, 2 15/16 x 2 3/16" (7.4 x 5.5 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Thomas Walther Collection. Gift of Thomas Walther (MoMA 1725.2001). © Estate of André Kertész
Alternate Name(s) Kertész Andor (Birth Name)

Meeting Points

Cultural Hubs Budapest
Paris
Photo Industry Hubs Paris
Schools Levy Gallery, 1931–49
Exhibitions Exposition de l'AEAR, 1935
Photographie contemporaine, 1936
Film und Foto, 1929
Foto der Gegenwart, 1929
Modern Hungarian Photography, 1937
Salon de l’escalier, 1928
Publications Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung, 1917–31
Vogue, 1892–1949
Vu, 1928–31
Atget: Photographe de Paris, 1930
Photography, 1839–1937, 1937

Artist Chronology

July 2, 1894	Born At location: André Kertész	Budapest
1912	Begins photographing with a camera from his mother and learns to develop negatives and make prints At location: André Kertész	Budapest
October 5, 1914–January 1915	Drafted into the Austro-Hungarian army, where he photographs the movements of his unit At location: André Kertész	Austria Italy
August 11, 1915	Continues taking photographs while at the front line, and instructs his brother Jeno to send some for publication At location: André Kertész	Poland
August 28, 1915–fall 1916	Returns to Budapest to recover from a bullet injury At location: André Kertész	Budapest
Fall 1916–fall 1918	Returns to duty and travels throughout Central Europe At location: André Kertész	Graz Vienna Bucharest Brno Prague Kecskemét Sarajevo
March 1917	Publishes photographs in Érdekes Újság Contributor: André Kertész	Budapest
Fall 1918–April 1921	Re-employed with Giro Bank and Transfers, Ltd., where he worked before the war At location: André Kertész	Budapest
Fall 1918–fall 1925	Lives in Budapest At location: André Kertész	Budapest
Spring 1924	Participates in an exhibition organized by the Magyar Amatőrfényképezők Országos Szövetsége (MAOSZ) Participant: André Kertész	Budapest
October 8, 1925–October 14, 1936	Lives in Paris At location: André Kertész	Paris
November 17, 1925	Gives his profession as "photo-reporter" when he registers as a resident in Paris At location: André Kertész	Paris
1926–30	Publishes in Art et industrie, Das Illustrierte Blatt, L'Art vivant, Variétés, Berliner Tageblatt, Der Querschnitt, Bifur, Münchner Illustrierte Presse, Ce Temps-ci, and Vu Contributor: André Kertész	Paris Frankfurt Munich Berlin
January 25–April 3, 1926	Works as a retoucher and developer for L'Atelier Moderne, a professional photography studio At location: André Kertész	Paris
August 19, 1926	Visits Piet Mondrian's studio for the first time At location: André Kertész	Paris
March 1927	Solo exhibition at the Galerie au Sacre du Printemps Participant: André Kertész	Paris
May 24–June 7, 1928	Premier Salon indépendant de la photographie moderne (Salon de I'escalier) at Théâtre de la Comédie des Champs-Élysées Participant: Berenice Abbott, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Roger Parry, George Hoyningen-Huene	Paris
June 2–August 15,1928	Internationale Foto-Salon Participant: André Kertész	Arnhem Rotterdam Amsterdam
October–November 1928	Exposition de photographie at Galerie de l'Epoque Participant: Berenice Abbott, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), László Moholy-Nagy, Eli Lotar	Brussels
January 20–February 17, 1929	Fotografie der Gegenwart at Museum Folkwang Kestner Gesellschaft v.V, Königstrasse 8, Hannover March 10–April 7, 1929 Galerie Neumann-Nierendorf, Lützowstrasse 32, Berlin April 20–May 20, 1929 Whitechapel Art Gallery, London June 6–29, 1929 Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt July 7–August 8, 1929 Leipziger Kunstverein, Augustusplatz 6, Leipzig August 18–September 8, 1929 Lichthof des Neuen Rathauses, Dresden September 15–October 6, 1929 Kunstverein, Rostock October 20-November 10, 1929 am Adolf-Mittag-See, Städtisches Ausstellungsamt, Magdeburg November 28–December 19, 1929 Landesgewerbeanstalt, Kaiserslautern February 23–March 23, 1930 Vereinigung Göttinger Kunstfreunde, Göttingen May 18–June 8, 1930 Participant: Berenice Abbott, Herbert Bayer, Aenne Biermann, Max Burchartz, Florence Henri, Lotte Jacobi, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, El Lissitzky, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), László Moholy-Nagy, Walter A. Peterhans, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Hans Richter, August Sander, Umbo (Otto Umbehr), Lucia Moholy, Karl Blossfeldt, Erich Comeriner, Eli Lotar, Oskar Nerlinger, Robert Petschow, Frieda Gertrud Riess, Sasha Stone, Hans Finsler, Paul Edmund Hahn, Cami Stone	Essen
May 18–July 7, 1929	Internationale Ausstellung des Deutschen Werkbunds Film und Foto (FiFo) at Städtische Ausstellungshallen Kunstgewerbemuseum, Zurich August 28–September 22, 1929 Im Lichthof des Ehemaligen Kunstgewerbemuseums, Prinz-Albrechs-Strasse 7, Berlin October 19–November 17, 1929 Stadtmuseum, Danzig (dates unknown) Österreichisches Museum, Vienna February 20–March 31, 1930 Agram, Zagreb April 5–14, 1930 Münchner Bund/Verein Ausstellungspark München E.V. (as part of Internationale Ausstellung. Das Lichtbild), Munich June 5–September 7, 1930 Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo April 1931 Asahi Shimbun, Osaka July 1–7, 1931 Participant: Berenice Abbott, Herbert Bayer, Aenne Biermann, Anton Bruehl, Francis Bruguière, Max Burchartz, Florence Henri, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Helmar Lerski, El Lissitzky, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), László Moholy-Nagy, Walter A. Peterhans, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Hans Richter, Aleksandr Rodchenko, Charles Sheeler, Edward Steichen, Maurice Tabard, Umbo (Otto Umbehr), Edward Weston, Lucia Moholy, Werner Rohde, George Hoyningen-Huene, Gustav Klutsis, Karl Blossfeldt, Heinz Loew, Erich Comeriner, Semyon Fridlyand, Roman Karmen, Eli Lotar, Oskar Nerlinger, Robert Petschow, Sasha Stone, Dziga Vertov, Yva (Else Simon), Willy Zielke, Irene Bayer-Hecht, Hans Finsler, Cami Stone Organizer: El Lissitzky, László Moholy-Nagy, Hans Richter, Edward Steichen, Edward Weston, Dziga Vertov Visitor: Alexander Hackenschmied	Stuttgart
May 1930	Primer salón anual de fotografía Participant: André Kertész	Buenos Aires
June–September 1930	Das Lichtbild exhibition Participant: Aenne Biermann, Bill Brandt, Max Burchartz, César Domela-Nieuwenhuis, Florence Henri, Lotte Jacobi, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Helmar Lerski, Walter A. Peterhans, August Sander, Umbo (Otto Umbehr), Edward Weston, Lucia Moholy, Werner Rohde, Franz Roh, Marianne Breslauer, Alexander Hackenschmied, Edmund Kesting, Jean Moral, Willy Zielke, Lore Feininger, Hans Finsler	Munich
December 1930 and January 1931	Exhibition of Foreign Advertising Photography at the Art Center Participant: Herbert Bayer, Florence Henri, André Kertész, George Hoyningen-Huene	New York
December 1930	Group exhibition organized by the Amateur Worker Photographers Participant: André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Eli Lotar	Paris
November 28–December 29, 1931	La Publicité par la photographie at Galerie d'Art Contemporain Participant: Florence Henri, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Roger Parry, Maurice Tabard, Jacques-André Boiffard, Eli Lotar, Lee Miller, Jean Moral	Paris
December 15, 1931–January 15, 1932	Photographes d’aujourd’hui at Galerie de la Plume d'Or Participant: Florence Henri, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Roger Parry, Maurice Tabard, George Hoyningen-Huene, Eli Lotar, Lee Miller, Jean Moral	Paris
1932	International Photographers at the Brooklyn Museum Participant: Berenice Abbott, Florence Henri, André Kertész, Tina Modotti	Brooklyn
1932	La Constitution des artistes photographes at Galerie-Studio St. Jacques Participant: André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Maurice Tabard, Jean Moral	Paris
January 9–29, 1932	Surrealism at the Julien Levy Gallery Participant: Herbert Bayer, André Kertész, George Platt Lynes, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), László Moholy-Nagy, Roger Parry, Maurice Tabard, Umbo (Otto Umbehr), Jacques-André Boiffard	New York
February 1932	Exhibition of Modern Photography at the Royal Photographic Society Participant: Florence Henri, André Kertész	London
February 7–25, 1932	Modern Photography at Home and Abroad at the Albright Art Gallery Participant: Berenice Abbott, Margaret Bourke-White, André Kertész, Eli Lotar	Buffalo
February 20–March 11, 1932	Modern European Photography at the Julien Levy Gallery Participant: Herbert Bayer, Florence Henri, André Kertész, László Moholy-Nagy, Roger Parry, Walter A. Peterhans, Maurice Tabard, Umbo (Otto Umbehr), Jacques-André Boiffard, Eli Lotar, Lee Miller	New York
July 2–31, 1932	Exposition internationale de la photographie at the Palais des Beaux-Arts Participant: Aenne Biermann, André Kertész, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Franz Roh, Lee Miller, Sasha Stone Organizer: Cami Stone	Brussels
1933	Begins the Distortions series at the suggestion of Louis Querelle, editor of Le Sourire Publishes Distortion photographs in the magazine's March 1933 issue Contributor: André Kertész	Paris
1933	The Modern Spirit in Photography at The Royal Photographic Society Participant: André Kertész, Yva (Else Simon)	London
1933	Lisette Model ceases practicing music and singing; discovers photography through her sister Olga. Her first photographic portraits are of Olga, Rogi André (André Kertész's wife), and Florence Henri At location: Florence Henri, Lisette Model Affiliated: André Kertész	Paris
April 1–20, 1933	L'Image photographique en France de daguerre a nos jours at Galerie Braun & Cie Participant: Florence Henri, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Roger Parry, Théo Blanc, Jean Moral, Antoine Demilly	Paris
May 3–June 3, 1933	Groupe annuel des photographes at La Galerie de la Pléiade Participant: André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Maurice Tabard, Jean Moral	Paris
June and July 1933	Deuxième exposition internationale de la photographie et du cinéma at Palais des Beaux-Arts Participant: André Kertész, Werner Rohde, Alexander Hackenschmied, Sasha Stone, Cami Stone	Brussels
1934	Publishes Paris Vu Par André Kertész Contributor: André Kertész	Paris
April 6–30, 1934	The Modern Spirit in Photography and Advertising at the Royal Photographic Society Participant: Florence Henri, André Kertész, Franz Roh, Marianne Breslauer	London
July 1934	Exposition de la Société des Artistes Photographes at Studio St. Jacques Participant: André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Maurice Tabard, Jean Moral	Paris
November 1934	Groupe annuel des photographes at La Galerie de la Pléiade Participant: Florence Henri, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Maurice Tabard, Jacques-André Boiffard, Jean Moral	Paris
November 1934–January 1935	Returns to Budapest on assignment At location: André Kertész	Budapest
June 1935	Exposition de l'AEAR–Documents de la vie sociale at Galerie de la Pléiade Participant: Henri Cartier-Bresson, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Roger Parry, Jacques-André Boiffard, Eli Lotar, Jean Moral, Jean Painlevé Organizer: Jean Painlevé	Paris
January 16–March 1, 1936	Exposition internationale de la photographie contemporaine at Musée des Arts Décoratifs Participant: Florence Henri, André Kertész, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Edward Steichen, Maurice Tabard, Marianne Breslauer, Aurel Bauh, Horacio Coppola, Edmund Kesting, Fred Korth, Eli Lotar, Jean Painlevé	Paris
March 1936	Solarisations et painture révélateur par Tabard at La Galerie de la Pléiade Participant: André Kertész, Germaine Krull, Roger Parry, Maurice Tabard, Eli Lotar	Paris
March–April 1936	La Photographie vivante. Les Dix at Galerie Leleu Participant: André Kertész, Maurice Tabard, Yva (Else Simon)	Paris
August 1936	Retrospective at Galerie d'Art Braun et Cie Participant: André Kertész, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Maurice Tabard, Blanc et Demilly	Paris
October 15, 1936–September 28, 1985	Lives in New York At location: André Kertész	New York
October 15, 1936–July 10, 1937	Works for Keystone Press Agency At location: André Kertész	New York
March 17–April 18, 1937	Photography: 1839–1937, organized by Beaumont Newhall, at The Museum of Modern Art Participant: Berenice Abbott, Margaret Bourke-White, Anton Bruehl, Francis Bruguière, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alvin Langdon Coburn, Walker Evans, Florence Henri, André Kertész, George Platt Lynes, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), László Moholy-Nagy, Martin Munkácsi, Roger Parry, George H. Seeley, Peter Sekaer, Charles Sheeler, Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, Paul Strand, Maurice Tabard, Edward Weston, Jacques-André Boiffard, Robert Demachy	New York
1937–46	Works as a freelance photographer for American Magazine, Collier's, Coronet, Harper's Bazaar, Look, Town and Country, and Vogue Contributor: André Kertész	New York Chicago Des Moines
October 23–November 7, 1937	Modern Hungarian Photography Participant: György Kepes, André Kertész, Martin Munkácsi, József Pécsi Organizer: Imre Kinszki	Budapest
December 1–15, 1937	André Kertész: An Exhibition of 60 Photographs at PM Galleries Participant: André Kertész	New York
January 4–18, 1938	Pioneers of Modern French Photography at the Julien Levy Gallery Participant: André Kertész	New York
April 1940	Exhibition series dedicated to Hungarian photographers at the Hungarian Reference Library Participant: André Kertész, Martin Munkácsi	New York
February 3, 1944	Becomes an American citizen At location: André Kertész	New York
April 8–21, 1944	The Instant in Photography at The New School Organizer: Berenice Abbott Participant: André Kertész	New York
June 1944	László Moholy-Nagy invites André Kertész to teach at the School of Design; Kertész declines Affiliated: André Kertész At location: László Moholy-Nagy	Chicago
September 28, 1985	Dies At location: André Kertész	New York