Cercle Cité to Host Edward Steichen Conference Series

A series of conferences dedicated to the Luxembourgish-American photographer and painter Edward Steichen will take place at the Cercle Cité in Place d'Armes, Luxembourg-Ville in the coming months.

Paul Lesch, curator of the Edward Steichen collections, will deliver these conferences, which are organised in collaboration with the Centre National de l'Audiovisuel (CNA). Each event will take place in the Cercle Cité's Auditorium Henri Beck on a specific date, from 18:00 to 19:30; free entry. Register via email: inscription@cerclecite.lu.

"The Family of Man": An Ode to Humanism Celebrating 70 Years

First on the agenda is a lecture in English on Thursday 27 March 2025. The subject is "The Family of Man", the renowned photography exhibition on display at Clervaux Castle since 1994. Inaugurated in January 1955 at MoMA in New York, The Family of Man remains the most visited photography exhibition in the world, having welcomed approximately ten million visitors across five continents over 70 years. As Paul Lesch recently explained to Chronicle.lu, the lecture "will explore [...] the origins of the exhibition, its philosophy, messages, scenography, reception and its unique journey in Luxembourg". For further details, see https://cerclecite.lu/en/event/the-family-of-man-une-ode-a-lhumanisme-qui-fete-ses-70-ans

Edward Steichen, Master of Celebrity Portraiture

The next lecture in the series will take place in French on Wednesday 21 May 2025. This event will look at Edward Steichen as an artist who established himself as "one of the great portraitists of the 20th century". He created a series of portraits (including self-portraits) between 1898 and 1937. The lecture will "examine the history and aesthetics of his most emblematic portraits as well as lesser-known works". For further details, see https://cerclecite.lu/en/event/edward-steichen-maitre-du-portrait-de-celebrites

Edward Steichen and His Wartime Engagements

Next up is a lecture in English on the artist's wartime engagements, taking place on Thursday 19 June 2025. Edward Steichen served in the US Army during the two world wars and played a key role in military photography. Through photographs and film excerpts, this event will "delve into these pivotal periods of his life". For further details, see https://cerclecite.lu/en/event/edward-steichen-et-son-engagement-pendant-les-guerres

The Little-Known Steichen

This French-language lecture will take place on Thursday 16 October 2025. The lecture will "shed light on the lesser-known aspects of Edward Steichen's life and work", drawing on "a rich collection of illustrations" and exploring the artist's various activities and passions. For further details, see https://cerclecite.lu/en/event/le-steichen-meconnu