An exceptional exhibit has opened at the Elysée Museum, bringing together some rare and previously unpublished pieces that reflect all facets of an extraordinary artist, photographer Edward Steichen.

It took no less than three years of research to create this retrospective. Edward Steichen, an outstanding figure in the world of photography, explored all styles with equal talent: portraits, nudes, natural and urban landscapes, and fashion, floral, theatrical and war photography. A portrait of him would be incomplete without a mention of the fact that he was also a lithographer, graphic designer, museum director and horticulturist.

The Elysée Museum has succeeded in bringing together for the pleasure of its visitors 350 of the artist’s works, over half of which are being shown publicly for the first time. This rich exhibit is the product of three years of intense collaboration between William A. Ewing, the Elysée Museum’s director; Nathalie Herschofer, the museum’s curator; and Todd Brandow, the co-producer of the exhibit and director of the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography. These three, fascinated by Edward Steichen’s life and work, have a gift for transforming simple guided visits into captivating moments that cover more than a half-century of history. Luckily for the public! So many lives, so much talent to be collected in a single man who wanted to make photography an art of its own, accessible to as many people as possible!
The portrait would not be complete without a reminder that Edward Steichen was also the author of some remarkable photographic projects. The exhibit titled “The Family of Man,” created in 1955 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, is named by UNESCO in its Memory of the World Register as “the largest photographic undertaking ever completed.” Exhibited in many countries, it attracted more than 9 million viewers. Unheard of!

Baume & Mercier’s strong commitment to sponsoring photography

As an invitation to the public to discover this exceptional destiny in these 350 works that marked their century, Lausanne’s watch retailers enthusiastically supported Baume & Mercier’s commitment by exhibiting the faces of Greta Garbo, Fred Astaire and Gloria Swanson in their windows.

Distinguished guests

Among the guests at the private showing of this exhibit were Ms. Anne-Catherine Lyon, State Councilor for Culture from the canton of Vaud; Mr. Frédéric Basaguren, Consul General of France; Mr. Pierre Keller, Director of ECAL (the University of Art and Design in Lausanne); Mr. Léonard Gianadda, President of the Gianadda Foundation; Mr. Jean-Claude Falciola, President of the Elysée Foundation; and Ms. Francesca Calderone-Steichen, the artist’s granddaughter.

During the dinner, which was served in one of the magnificent rooms at the Beau-Rivage Hotel in Lausanne, Ms. Calderone-Steichen spoke about her youth, especially about the relationship she entertained with her exceptional grandfather. After the artistic emotion of the exhibit, each listener was moved by Ms. Calderone-Steichen’s tender and especially touching story. “My grandfather was a passionate man, always in motion, sometimes almost wild.” To thank her for attending the private showing, Mr. Nieto, Baume & Mercier’s CEO, had the honor of presenting her with a watch from the Riviera collection.
Nothing escaped Edward Steichen’s sharp eye, so we can be sure he would have noticed the intense excitement experienced by each of the guests at this private showing.