František Drtikol Czech, 1883-1961

Born in Příbram, Czech Republic, into a merchant family, František Drtikol (1883-1961) was a Czech photographer known for his nudes and portraits. In 1901, Drtikol enrolled in Munich's Teaching and Research Institute of Photography while simultaneously running his private studio. In 1910, after his studio had little success, he relocated to Prague, where he established a portrait studio, taking many portraits of notable cultural figures. Later, in the 1920s and 1930s, Drtikol received numerous awards at international photo salons and contributed to the illustrated weekly Pestrý týden.

Drtikol's work exemplifies the evolution from pictorialism and symbolism to modernism, where the human form is juxtaposed with geometry and stark contrast. Drtikol's work, while hinting at Cubism, suggests characteristics of Futurism. During the period in which he coined, Photopurism, Drtikol created compositions of small, elongated figures that touched upon, symbolically, Buddhism. Drtikol retired from his photographic process in 1935 and began concentrating on painting while diving deeper into Buddhism.

Drtikol died on January 13, 1961, in Prague. The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague holds the most extensive collection of his work.