František Drtikol
Encyclopedia
František Drtikol was a Czech
photographer of international renown. He is especially known for his characteristically epic photographs, often nudes and portraits.
, an important avant-garde photographer, was one of his pupils. Drtikol made many portraits of very important people and nudes which show development from pictorialism and symbolism to modern composite pictures of the nude body with geometric decorations and thrown shadows, where it is possible to find a number of parallels with the avant-garde
works of the period. These are reminiscent of Cubism
, and at the same time his nudes suggest the kind of movement that was characteristic of the futurism
aesthetic.
He began using paper cut-outs in a period he called "photopurism". These photographs resembled silhouettes of the human form. Later he gave up photography and concentrated on painting. After the studio was sold Drtikol focused mainly on painting, Buddhist
religious and philosophical systems. In the final stage of his photographic work Drtikol created compositions of little carved figures, with elongated shapes, symbolically expressing various themes from Buddhism. In the 1920s and 1930s, he received significant awards at international photo salons. Drtikol has published:
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
photographer of international renown. He is especially known for his characteristically epic photographs, often nudes and portraits.
Life and work
From 1907 to 1910 he had his own studio, until 1935 he operated an important portrait photostudio in Prague on the fourth floor of one of Prague's remarkable buildings, a Baroque corner house at 9 Vodičkova, now demolished. Jaroslav RösslerJaroslav Rössler
Jaroslav Rössler was a pioneer of Czech avant-garde photography and a member of the association of Czech avant-garde artists Devětsil .- Biography :...
, an important avant-garde photographer, was one of his pupils. Drtikol made many portraits of very important people and nudes which show development from pictorialism and symbolism to modern composite pictures of the nude body with geometric decorations and thrown shadows, where it is possible to find a number of parallels with the avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
works of the period. These are reminiscent of Cubism
Cubism
Cubism was a 20th century avant-garde art movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture...
, and at the same time his nudes suggest the kind of movement that was characteristic of the futurism
Futurism
Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century.Futurism or futurist may refer to:* Afrofuturism, an African-American and African diaspora subculture* Cubo-Futurism* Ego-Futurism...
aesthetic.
He began using paper cut-outs in a period he called "photopurism". These photographs resembled silhouettes of the human form. Later he gave up photography and concentrated on painting. After the studio was sold Drtikol focused mainly on painting, Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
religious and philosophical systems. In the final stage of his photographic work Drtikol created compositions of little carved figures, with elongated shapes, symbolically expressing various themes from Buddhism. In the 1920s and 1930s, he received significant awards at international photo salons. Drtikol has published:
- "Le nus de Drtikol" (1929)
- Žena ve světle (Woman in the Light)
Sources
- Anna Fárová: "František Drtikol.Photograph des Art Deco", 1986.
- Vladimír Birgus: "Drtikol. Modernist Nudes", Robert Koch Gallery, San Francisco 1997.
- Vladimír Birgus and Jan Mlčoch: "Akt in Czech Photography", 2001.
- Alessandro Bertolotti: "Books of nudes", 2007.
- Stanislav Doleža, Anna FárováAnna FárováAnna Fárová was a Czech art historian who specialized and catalogued Czech and Czechoslovakian photographers, including Frantisek Drtikol and Josef Sudek. She was one of the pioneers of writing on history of photography...
, Petr Nedoma: František Drtikol – fotograf, malíř, mystik. Galerie Rudolfinum, Praha 1998 - Karel Funk: Mystik a učitel František Drtikol - Pokyny pro duchovní cestu , Fontána 2001 ISBN 80-86179-55-9
- Jan Mlčoch: František Drtikol – Fotografie 1901–1914. KANT, Praha 1999