Artist of the Day, April 21, 2022: Jaromír Funke, a Czech photographer. (#1551)

 Jaromír Funke (1896 – 1945) was a Czech photographer. Funke was a leading figure in Czech photography during the 1920s and 1930s.

Funke was born in Skuteč to a wealthy family of a Bohemian-German lawyer father and a Czech mother. He studied medicine, law, and philosophy at the Charles University in Prague and the University of Bratislava but did not graduate and instead turned to photography.

Funke was recognized for his play of “photographic games” with mirrors, lights, and insignificant objects, such as plates, bottles, or glasses, to create unique works. His still life's created abstract forms and played with shadows looking similar to photograms. His work was thought to be logical, original and expressive in nature. A typical feature of Funke's work would be the “dynamic diagonal."

During his photography profession, Funke published editorials and critiques about photography. By 1922, Funke had become a skilled freelance photographer and two years later he, Josef Sudek and Adolf Schneeberger created the Czech Photographic Society. From 1931-1935, Funke headed the photography department at the School of Arts and Crafts in Bratislava. Soon after, Funke taught at the School of Graphic Art in Prague until 1944. Alongside Ladislav Sutha, the director of the previous school, Funke published Fotografie vidí povrch in 1935. While travelling, Funke became interested in politically engaged photography and was a contributor to the illustrated weekly Pestrý týden. Bad living was created during the time period of 1930-1931 and was a photographic series that dealt with the issues of poverty. Funke later became an editor of the journal Fotografický obzor (Photographic Horizons) for several years. He published a number of works including Od fotogrameuk emoci which is understood to be his manifesto.

As travelling was limited during World War II in 1939, Funke photographed close to home in Louny, Prague and sometimes Kolín. On March 22, 1945 in Kolin, Funke required an immediate operation for intestine damage but the procedure could not be executed as it was during an air raid alarm and he died.

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 Jaromír Funke

 Barrels, 1920-24

 Supporting Pillar, 1922

 Z Prahy (From Prague), 1922

 Composition with "Lavendar" perfume bottle, 1923

Still life, 1923

 Still life, 1923

 The Spiral, 1924

 Tribuna Newspapers, 1924

 Detail of Steel Girders, 1925

 Four Boys on a Bench in a Park, 1925

 Photographic Composition, 1925

Composition, 1925-27

Composition, 1925-27

 Portrait of a Young Woman, 1926

 Still Life with Starfish and Conch Shell, 1928

 Abstract Composition with Egg Beaters, 1928-29

Face, 1928-35

Diagonal Composition with Metal Spiral, 1929

 Eugen Wiskovsky, 1929

 Construction Site, 1930

 Portrait of a woman with a bob, 1930

 Student Dormitory in Brno, Czechoslovakia, 1930

Architectural Interior, 1930-35

 Advertising Photo with Wine Goblets, 1935

 Landscape near Kolin, 1935

 Spiral Pattern, 1935

Untitled, 1935

Untitled, 1937

 Diagonal View of Crucifix and Clock Tower, 1940

 Diagonal View with Clock Tower and Street Light, 1940