Artworks

FRANTIŠEK DRTIKOL (Czech, 1883 - 1961) 

Born in Příbram, Czech Republic into a merchant family, František Drtikol was a Czech photographer and painter, best known for his nudes and portraits. 

Drtikol’s artistic career began in 1901 when he moved to Munich to study painting and photography at the Teaching and Research Institute. It was there that he became interested in the Symbolism and Art Nouveau styles that were popular at the time, which greatly influenced his work to come. Drtikol returned to the Czech Republic in 1907 and established his own studio. At this time, symbolism was giving way to modernism, and Drtikol became interested in this transition between art movements. His work began to blend the two visual styles, often juxtaposing the softness of the human form with geometry and harsh lines. Drtikol’s response to these changing art movements became his signature style and served as an inspiration to several photographers who followed him, including Jaroslav Rössler and Josef Vetrovsky. Drtikol’s work can be found in several museum collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague.