Frantisek Drtikol

DRTIKOL, FRANTISEK (1883-1961) Two female nudes. Silver print, 7 1/2x10 1/4 inches (19.1x26 cm.), with Drtikol's blind stamp on recto. Circa 1930 Estimate $7,000-10,000 This print is from the collection of Professor Pavel Tausig, a photo-historian and and early collector of Czech photography. The picture appears in the publication that accompanied the 26th Salon International d'Art Photographique de Paris, 8 (1931).

LOT 46 FRANTISEK DRTIKOL 1883-1961 UNTITLED (FLYING SILHOUETTE) the photographer's blindstamp on the image, mounted, signed and dated in pencil and inscribed 'Magda Radomsky mit freundlichem Gruss, 21/IX 1931, Drtikol' in ink on the mount, framed, 1931 11 by 8 5/8 in. (27.9 by 21.9 cm.)

LOT 19 FRANTISEK DRTIKOL 1883-1961 'COMPOSITION' (NUDE WITH CIRCLES) pigment print, the photographer's blindstamp on the image, flush-mounted, mounted again, signed and dated in pencil on the mount, signed, titled, numbered 'V,' and annotated with the photographer's studio address 'Praha II. Vodičkova 7. Czechoslovakia.' and 'Pigment' in ink and with Pictorial Photographic Society of San Francisco, Edinburgh Photographic Society, and Salon International d'Art Photographique de Bruxelles exhibition labels on the reverse, 1928 8 7/8 by 11 in. (22.5 by 27.9 cm.)

FRANTISEK DRTIKOL (1883-1961) Nude Abstraction, c. 1925 gelatin silver print credit in pencil, collection credit in ink and 'Rudolf Skopec Collection' stamp (on the verso) image: 11¾ x 9 3/8in. (29.7 x 23.8cm.) sheet: 11 7/8 x 9½in. (30.2 x 24.1cm.) With Rudolf Skopec, Prague; to Collection Colin Osman, London; with Anderson and Hershkowitz, London; with Sander Gallery, Washington, D.C.; with Schürmann and Kicken, Aachen During the 'twenties woman becomes for Dritikol a living being who expresses herself, cries, exists, projecting her form into enormous, expressive shadows and passionate gestures. Anna Fárová Modernist Masterworks to 1925 from 'the deLIGHTed eye', A Private Collection, International Center of Photography, New York, 1985, p. 11 Modernist Masterworks to 1925 from 'the deLIGHTed eye', A Private Collection, International Center of Photography, New York, May 15-June 16, 1985 Known for the superb modernist nudes he made in the 1920s, this is one of Drtikol's finest, a finely -wrought balance of form and content. While the mood of the picture is clearly erotic and theatrical, key ingredients in all of his nudes and a product of Drtikol's symbolist roots, it is also a work of tremendous formal complexity. Drtikol achieves this through his placement of his ship's-prow-like model, drapery and props on five overlapping planes -- all illuminated by a hard light to create strong cast shadows. To Drtikol shadow played 'an independent role, especially so far as the flat picture surface is concerned; it gives life; it draws attention; it is equally important as the object itself.' This print belonged to Rudolf Skopec (1913-1975) who was immersed in photography throughout his life. Born to a photographer father, he studied the medium in Munich and became a photographer himself. Above all, he was a noted collector, historian and professor of photography. He began collecting photographs, cameras and photographic apparatus as early as his teen years and was instrumental in developing the collections of the National Technical Museum in Prague.

Close FRANTIŠEK DRTIKOL “I am inspired by three things: decorativeness, motion, and the stillness and expression of individual lines. I then use the background and props - simple objects such as circles, wavy lines and columns - accordingly. I let the beauty of the line itself make an impact, without embellishment, by suppressing everything that is secondary... or else I use the body as a decorative object, positioning it in various settings and lights. This is how I create all my pictures.” 10 IMPORTANT PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE COLLECTION OF DR. ANTHONY TERRANA FRANTIŠEK DRTIKOL Untitled, Nude , 1929 Pigment print. 11 1/8 x 8 3/8 in. (28.3 x 21.3 cm) Signed and dated in pencil on the mount; copyright credit blindstamp in the margin; signed, numbered ‘XIV’’ and annotated ‘Le pas’’, ‘Praha II/ Vodiekove 7/ Tehēcoslovaquie’’ in ink on the reverse of the mount. ESTIMATE $60,000 - 80,000 PROVENANCE Private Collection, Philadelphia Robert Klein Gallery, Boston LITERATURE Birgus, The Photographer František Drtikol , pl. 97 for a variant there titled Upward Thrust Contact Specialist Request Condtion Report Recieve Email alerts “I am inspired by three things: decorativeness, motion, and the stillness and expression of individual lines. I then use the background and props - simple objects such as circles, wavy lines and columns - accordingly. I let the beauty of the line itself make an... Read More... View catalogue Purchase catalogue Annual subscriptions