Chez Mondrian

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Chez Mondrian

Artist André Kertész (American, 1894-1985)

Date1926

Dimensions10 x 8 in. (25.3 x 23 cm)

MediumSilver print

ClassificationPhotographs

Credit LinePurchased with funds given by an anonymous donor

Object number

1977.55

Not on View

Label TextAndré Kertész began making photographs in his native Hungary in 1912. By 1925 he was living in Paris, socializing with notable talents in film, theater, and the visual arts. It was only natural that he would begin to make images of his friends. Modern artist Piet Mondrian (1872–1944), best known for his grid-like paintings, was one of those friends. This is one of several images that Kertéz composed while photographing Mondrian’s studio and home. In Kertéz has reduced the subject to its bare essentials. The primary focus is on line and shape defined by the light that enters the house from the right. The subtle reflection of the vase on the surface of the table draws attention to the table’s edge, forming a geometric shape akin to those found in Mondrian’s iconic paintings.Exhibition HistoryToledo Museum of Art, Past and Present: Photographs from the Permanent Collection, Jan 22 - June 8, 1999 Toledo Museum of Art, Recent Acquisitions, Prints, Photographs and Drawings : April 1979. Toledo Museum of Art, Persona non Persona: Dec. 5 2005 - Feb. 26, 2006 Toledo Museum of Art, Refraction/Reflection, April 20-September 2, 2012.

Toledo Museum of Art, Looks Good on Paper: Masterworks and Favorites, Oct. 10, 2014-Jan. 11, 2015.