Andre Kertesz

He met Erzsebet Salomon, who later changed her name to Elizabeth Saly, in 1918 at the stock exchange where they both worked. They fell in love and married several years later in 1933 and remained together till Elizabeth’s death in 1977.

He lived a long life and died in his sleep on September 28, 1985.

He was born on July 2, 1894, as Andor Kertesz, in Budapest into a middle-class family. His father, Lipot Kertesz was a bookseller while his mother Ernesztin Hoffman was a homemaker. Andor had two brothers.

His father died of tuberculosis in 1908 leaving behind a grieving widow and three young children without any source of income. Fortunately his mother’s brother provided for the family and took them to live with him.

The young boy grew up on his uncle’s countryside property and it was here that he realized his artistic abilities. The uncle paid for his education and sent him to the Academy of Commerce from where he graduated in 1912.

Andor’s family expected him to work at the stock exchange after his studies though he had no interest in the field. He was more interested in looking at the photographs in illustrated magazines which kindled his interest in photography.

His uncle arranged for his employment at the Budapest Stock Exchange where he started working as a clerk in 1912. However, he had no plans of continuing in the same profession. His job enabled him to save some money with which he bought his own camera, an ICA box camera.

He photographed the local peasants, the Hungarian countryside, the day to day life of the people, etc. He is believed to have taken his first photograph, ‘Sleeping Boy’ in 1912. He left his job at the stock exchange in 1914, determined to make photography his career.

However, when the World War I started he enlisted to serve in the Hungarian army. He continued taking photographs in his free time and started selling them to magazines. It was in 1917 that his photographs were first published in the magazine ‘Érdekes Újság’.

Peace was established in 1918 and he returned to his previous job at the stock exchange. He continued taking photographs in his free time. Bored with the work at the stock exchange he quit the job in the early 1920s.

He embarked into agricultural work and beekeeping, but this venture was short-lived because of the volatile political situations in his country. Again he was forced to return to his job at the stock exchange.

He was made Commander of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1974.

In 1980 the first Annual Award of the Association of International Photography Art Dealers in New York was presented to him.