id: 162085 accession number: 2001.39 share license status: Copyrighted url: https://clevelandart.org/art/2001.39 updated: 2024-03-26 02:00:45.777000 Distortion #150, c. 1933. André Kertész (American, 1894–1985). Gelatin silver print; image: 29.5 x 22.9 cm (11 5/8 x 9 in.); matted: 55.9 x 45.7 cm (22 x 18 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Dudley P. Allen Fund 2001.39 © Estate of A. Kertesz title: Distortion #150 title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: c. 1933 creation date earliest: 1928 creation date latest: 1938 current location: creditline: Dudley P. Allen Fund copyright: © Estate of A. Kertesz --- culture: America, 20th century technique: gelatin silver print department: Photography collection: PH - American 1900-1950 type: Photograph find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS * André Kertész (American, 1894–1985) - artist André Kertész American, b. Austria-Hungary, 1894-1985 André Kertész was one of the first photographers to work with the small, 35mm camera, becoming famous for his skill at capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life. In 1911 he bought his first camera and began taking photographs in his native Budapest and the surrounding countryside. The following year, after graduating from Budapest's Academy of Commerce, Kertész took a job as a clerk at the Budapest stock exchange. His interest in photography continued, and he began making spontaneous photographic studies of the city's people and street life. Kertész also took photographs recording the daily life of his fellow soldiers during his service in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I. After his discharge in 1918, he returned to Budapest and worked there until 1925. He moved to Paris, establishing himself as a freelance photographer, and soon became a member of the avant-garde. His work was published in a variety of magazines and newspapers, including the Münchner Illustrierte Presse, Berliner Illustrierte Zeitung, Uhu, Vu, the London Sunday Times, and L'Esprit nouveau. In 1927 he had his first exhibition at the progressive Galerie au Sacre du Printemps and two years later took part in the Film und Foto show in Stuttgart. Kertész became known for his candid photography and was recognized as a leader in modern, subjective photojournalism. In the early 1930s he also made his well-known series called Distortions, featuring almost 200 studies of the nude female figure reflected in a parabolic mirror. In 1936 Kertész came to New York to work for Keystone Studios under a one-year contract. He remained in the city, producing pictures on a freelance basis until joining the staff of Condé Nast Publications in 1949. Following his retirement in 1962, Kertész focused on his own work, remaining active as a photographer until his death. Over the years he published a number of books and was featured in many exhibitions and publications, including André Kertész: Of Paris and New York, a major show organized by the Art Institute of Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1985). M.M. --- measurements: Image: 29.5 x 22.9 cm (11 5/8 x 9 in.); Matted: 55.9 x 45.7 cm (22 x 18 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: inscription: Written in blue pencil on verso: "TOP"/ "10-48/ 8 13/16 & 8 5/8"/ in orange pencil; 95-3/ in black pen: MAK.0239.4 translation: remark: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: André Kertész opening date: 2005-02-06T00:00:00 André Kertész. National Gallery of Art, Landover, MD (organizer) (February 6-May 15, 2005); Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA (June 12-September 5, 2005); International Center of Photography, New York, NY (September 16-November 27, 2005). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS * {'description': 'National Gallery of Art (2/6/2005 - 9/5/2005), LACMA (6/12/2005 - 9/5/2005) and the International Center of Photography (9/16/2005 - 11/27/2005): "André Kertész", pl. 70.', 'opening_date': '2005-02-06T00:00:00'} * {'description': 'Main gallery rotation (gallery 229): October 28, 2014 - April 20, 2015.', 'opening_date': '2014-10-28T00:00:00'} --- PROVENANCE --- fun fact: digital description: wall description: --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS Cleveland Museum of Art, “New Acquisitions Now on View at the CMA,” July 11, 2001, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives. page number: url: https://archive.org/details/cmapr4396 --- IMAGES