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.