Lucien Hervé

Lucien Hervé (born László Elkán: 7 August 1910, – 26 June 2007 ) was a Hungarian photographer. He was notable for his architectural photography, beginning with his work for Le Corbusier.

Biography 1910 : Born as László Elkán on 7 August in Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary, son of Nelly Ritscher and Lajos Elkán (a leather merchant and town councillor). 1918 : The Elkán family moves to Budapest 1920 : 3 March, his father dies. Beginning of his piano studies. 1923 : In addition to his studies of music, sport plays an increasing role in his life. He goes in for Greco-Roman wrestling and swimming. He befriends working-class youths and turns away from the bourgeois lifestyle of his mother. 1928 : Goes to Vienna, where he enrolls in the university to study economics. At the same time, he takes drawing courses at the Academy of Fine Arts and visits museums. 1929 : In the summer, joins his brother in Paris and spends his time visiting museums. At the end of the year, returns to Budapest. 1930 : In February, returns to Paris, In December, on the advice of Father Couturier, he goes to Marseille to photograph the Unité d'Habitation of Le Corbusier. He sends Le Corbusier the 650 prints taken in one day. The architect asks him to become his photographer. and MoMA.

The Conway Library at the Courtauld Institute of Art is in the process of digitising its archive of primarily architectural photographs, including images taken by Hervé of Le Corbusier's Unité d’Habitation.