Andre Kertesz
André Kertész Research Paper
André Kertész was a Hungarian-born photographer who made significant contributions to the art of composition in the photographic medium. His work cannot be pinpointed to a particular style. At first, his unique take on composition, and different camera angles, was rejected by many critics. But, through his perseverance and self-belief, he became known as one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century.
In Budapest, while André was only fifteen years old, his father passed away. This had a major impact on his teen years. Luckily, his mother and uncle were very supportive and helped him get through that dark area in his life. André rejected formal education so they also homeschooled him for a period of time. He had two brothers named Eugenio and Imre. In order to support the family, Imre became a stockbroker. He was also quite successful at it. Eugenio left Budapest to pursue becoming an engineer in Argentina. André had a deep admiration for his brother Eugenio. He regarded him as his favorite model and his best friend. They spent the majority of their time together and many portraits were taken of Eugenio; also known as Jeno. While living in Buenos Aires, Jeno wrote a letter an interesting letter to André. An excerpt from that letter reads, “We are predestined for something, and sooner or later this destiny will come to pass… What delights me most is that you have become a photographer…this way, you will be a happy man.” (Bourcier preface 2). I think that this statement is significant because Jeno foreshadowed André’s future success and showed complete support for the path that his brother chose to take.
Kertész’s first photo dates back to 1912. It was titled “Boy Sleeping”. He began to develop his unique style of photography by simply taking strolls through his favorite places. He really enjoyed visiting the local public gardens and parks in Budapest.
The “Boy Sleeping” was taken while an eighteen year
André Kertész was a Hungarian-born photographer who made significant contributions to the art of composition in the photographic medium. His work cannot be pinpointed to a particular style. At first, his unique take on composition, and different camera angles, was rejected by many critics. But, through his perseverance and self-belief, he became known as one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century.
In Budapest, while André was only fifteen years old, his father passed away. This had a major impact on his teen years. Luckily, his mother and uncle were very supportive and helped him get through that dark area in his life. André rejected formal education so they also homeschooled him for a period of time. He had two brothers named Eugenio and Imre. In order to support the family, Imre became a stockbroker. He was also quite successful at it. Eugenio left Budapest to pursue becoming an engineer in Argentina. André had a deep admiration for his brother Eugenio. He regarded him as his favorite model and his best friend. They spent the majority of their time together and many portraits were taken of Eugenio; also known as Jeno. While living in Buenos Aires, Jeno wrote a letter an interesting letter to André. An excerpt from that letter reads, “We are predestined for something, and sooner or later this destiny will come to pass… What delights me most is that you have become a photographer…this way, you will be a happy man.” (Bourcier preface 2). I think that this statement is significant because Jeno foreshadowed André’s future success and showed complete support for the path that his brother chose to take.
Kertész’s first photo dates back to 1912. It was titled “Boy Sleeping”. He began to develop his unique style of photography by simply taking strolls through his favorite places. He really enjoyed visiting the local public gardens and parks in Budapest.
The “Boy Sleeping” was taken while an eighteen year