Léger Studio

Front / Recto

Title Léger Studio
Negative Date 1927
Print Date 1927–29
Medium Gelatin silver print
Dimensions Image 4 1/16 × 3 1/8" (10.3 × 7.9 cm)
Sheet 4 1/8 × 3 3/16" (10.5 × 8.1 cm)
Place Taken Paris
Credit Line Thomas Walther Collection. Gift of Thomas Walther
MoMA Accession Number 1726.2001
Copyright © Estate of André Kertész

Mount Type No mount
Marks and Inscriptions Signed in pencil on sheet verso, top: Leger Studio/A. Kertész/1927. Inscribed in pencil on sheet verso, bottom right: TW 881202.
Provenance The artist, New York; purchased by Irene Borger, 1977 [1]; to Lawrence J. Borger (1915–2012), Bayside, N.Y. [2]; purchased by Thomas Walther, December 1988 [3]; given to The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2001.
[1] Lawrence J. Borger, telephone conversation with Simon Bieling, November 2006; and André Kertész, letter of authentication, October 11, 1977.
[2] MacGill/Walther 2000, p. 16.
[3] Borger bill of sale, December 21, 1988.

Surface Sheen Semireflective
Techniques Contact print
PTM

View of the recto of the artwork made using reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) software, which exaggerates subtle surface details and renders the features of the artwork plainly visible. Department of Conservation, MoMA
Micro-raking

Raking-light close-up image, as shot. Area of detail is 6.7 x 6.7 mm. Department of Conservation, MoMA

Raking-light close-up image, processed. Processing included removal of color, equalization of the histogram, and sharpening, all designed to enhance visual comparison. Department of Conservation, MoMA

Format Metric
Weight Single weight
Thickness (mm) 0.15
UV Fluorescence Recto negative
Verso negative
Fiber Analysis Softwood bleached sulfite 97%
Hardwood bleached sulfite 1%
Bast 1%
Rag 1%
Material Techniques Developing-out paper
XRF
This work was determined to be a gelatin silver print via X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry.

The following elements have been positively identified in the work, through XRF readings taken from its recto and verso (or from the mount, where the verso was not accessible):
- Recto: S, Ca, Zn, Sr, Ag, Ba
- Verso: Al, S, K, Ca, Zn, Sr, Ag, Ba
The graphs below show XRF spectra for three areas on the print: two of the recto—from areas of maximum and minimum image density (Dmax and Dmin)—and one of the verso or mount. The background spectrum represents the contribution of the XRF instrument itself. The first graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the lower energy range (0 to 8 keV). The second graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the higher energy range (8 to 40 keV).

Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
Elements identified: Al, S, K, Ca, Sr, Ag, Ba

Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
Elements identified: Zn, Sr, Ag

PM Gallery, New York. Andre Kertesz, an Exhibition of 60 Photographs. December 1937.