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Edward Steichen: Iconic Photographer

Edward Steichen was an American photographer, painter, and curator born in 1879 in Luxembourg who immigrated to the United States in 1881. He helped establish photography as a fine art form and created influential early works like "Pond Moonlight." During World War II, he served as the Director of the Naval Photographic Institute and later directed the photography department at MoMA from 1947 to 1962. One of his most famous exhibitions was "The Family of Man" in 1955 featuring over 500 photos depicting life in 68 countries.

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76 views15 pages

Edward Steichen: Iconic Photographer

Edward Steichen was an American photographer, painter, and curator born in 1879 in Luxembourg who immigrated to the United States in 1881. He helped establish photography as a fine art form and created influential early works like "Pond Moonlight." During World War II, he served as the Director of the Naval Photographic Institute and later directed the photography department at MoMA from 1947 to 1962. One of his most famous exhibitions was "The Family of Man" in 1955 featuring over 500 photos depicting life in 68 countries.

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Edward Steichen

American
Photographer
(1879-1973)
■ Edward Steichen (March 27, 1879 -
March 25, 1973) was an American
photographer, painter, and art gallery
curator, born in Bivange, Luxembourg.

■ His family moved to the United States in


1881 and he became a naturalized citizen
in 1900.
■ Having established himself as a fine art painter
in the beginning of the 20th century, Steichen
assumed the pictorialist approach in
photography and proved himself a master of it.
In 1905, Steichen helped create the Little
Galleries of the Photo-Secession with Alfred
Stieglitz.

■ After World War I he reverted to straight


photography, gradually moving into fashion
photography. Steichen's 1928 photo of actress
Greta Garbo is recognized as one of the
definitive portraits of Garbo.
■ During World War II, he served as Director
of the Naval Photographic Institute. His
war documentary The Fighting Lady won
the 1945 Academy Award for Best
Documentary.
■ After the war, Steichen served until 1962
as the Director of Photography at New
York's Museum of Modern Art.
■ Among other accomplishments, Steichen is
appreciated for creating The Family of Man in
1955, a vast exhibition at the Museum of
Modern Art consisting of over 500 photos that
depicted life, love and death in 68 countries.

■ As had been Steichen's wish, the exhibition was


donated to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It
is now permanently housed in the Luxembourg
town of Clervaux. [1]
The Pond Moonlight
■ In February 2006, a copy of Steichen's early
pictorialist photograph, The Pond-Moonlight
(1904), sold for what was then the highest price
ever paid for a photograph at auction, U.S. $2.9
million.
■ Steichen took the photograph in Mamaroneck,
New York The photo features a wooded area
and pond, with moonlight appearing between
the trees and reflecting on the pond.
■ Only three known versions of the
Pond-Moonlight are still in existence and, as a
result of the hand-layering of the gums, each is
unique.
Famous Images
Greta Garbo
Pond Moonlight
Marlene Deitrich, 1934
Avocados
Maypole
Parthenon
In His Own Words
“Every ten years a man
should give himself a
good kick in the
pants.”
Edward Steichen

“Once you really


commence to see
things, then you really
commence to feel
things.”
Edward Steichen
Key Facts: Edward Steichen

■ 19th/20th Century American photographer


■ “Pond Moonlight”: $2.9 million dollars.
■ Famous photo of Greta Garbo
■ Created “Family of Man” Exhibit in 1955.
■ Director of MoMA in NYC from WWII to
1962.

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