two World Wars, numerous photographers cele-
brated the expression of thebody liberated by mod-
ernity. In Steiner’s work, this liberation is translated
by the representation of movement.
These sports photographs, as a series of pictures
taken in 1933 during a trip to Morocco, sealed
Steiner’s reputation. The publication of a group of
pictures in the annual albumPhotographie 1934,
edited by Arts et me ́tiers graphiques, got the atten-
tion of Europe’s illustrated magazine directors,
among them Lucien Vogel, the art director ofVu.
Among others reproduced in the magazine, the se-
ries titledLe Saut(The Jump) of 1934 was granted a
full page in its number 433 issue (July 1, 1936).
Showing a swimmer at four different stages of his
jump, just before diving, it disregards the swimming
pool, so that these instantaneous views of a moving
body, suspended in the air, evoke a real choreogra-
phy. The magazine presentation reinforced this
reading by titling this group of photographsArab-
esque ae ́rienne (Aerial Arabesque). This bringing
together of sport and dance will be found again in
Steiner’s work in a series of photographs of the
dancer Lisa Fonssagrives from 1939.
Most of the magazines Steiner collaborated with
in the mid-1930s (Vu,Paris-Soir,Marianne, etc...)
not only reproduced his pictures, but also offered
him commissions, for the most part reportages on
sports events. But Steiner also created images for
advertising and architecture, the later commis-
sioned by such prestigious architects as Le Corbu-
sier and Mallet-Stevens. To document their new art
of building, Steiner captured surprising points of
view, so characteristic of modernist photography.
As Steiner received recognition from the field of
applied photography, he also soon became known as
an author. After a group exhibition at the bookstore
gallery La Ple ́iade, he appeared among the artists
selected for the International Exhibition of Contem-
porary Photography, organized at the Museum of
Decorative Arts in Paris in 1936. Unfortunately, the
publication Steiner planned of a book gathering
his nude photographs was postponed by the out-
break of World War II. He finally published three
books of his photographs between 1948 and 1953.
During the War, as a member of the French Air
Army, then of the Resistance, Steiner obtained
French nationality. But the war more or less put
an end to his artistic career. After 1945, he aban-
doned his personal creations in favor of applied
photography and worked as a technical consultant
in the field of industrial and medical imagery.
Andre ́Steiner died in Paris in 1978.
DanielleLeenaertsSeealso:History of Photography: Interwar Years;
Kerte ́sz, Andre ́; Man Ray; Manipulation; Nude
Photography; Photography in France; SolarizationBiography
Born in Mihald, Hungary, in 1901. Left for Vienna,
attended the Technische Hochschule and received a
diploma as an electrical engineer, assistant of Doctor
Josef Maria Eder and Professor Holzknecht at the Cen-
tral Institute of X-rays, 1918–1924. Started to take
photographs with a Leica offered by the Leitz firm in
order to test it, 1924; Decathlon Champion at the
Worldwide University Games, 1928. Left for Paris,
Engineer for Alsthom 1928–1932; Engineer for Para-
mount Studios, Phototone, and Gasparcolor. Traveled
to Morocco, 1933; opened a photography studio, 1933;
published in French illustrated magazines includingVu
andArt et Me ́decine, 1935–1939 and foreign illustrated
press includingHarper’s Bazaar, andVogue, 1936–1939.
Volunteer in the French Air Army, Member of the Resis-
tance, obtains French nationality, 1939–1944; gave up
artistic photography in favor of applied photography,- Consultant in industrial and medical imagery
1945–1960s. Died in Paris in 1978.
Individual Exhibition
2000 Andre ́Steiner, l’homme curieux[Andre ́Steiner, the
Curious Man]; Muse ́e Sainte-Croix; Poitiers, FranceAndre ́Steiner, Nude.
[# Rights Reserved, CNAC/MNAM/Dist. Re ́union des
Muse ́es Nationaux/Art Resource, New York]STEINER, ANDRE ́