The Fostinum
The collector is the true resident of the interior. The collector dreams his way not only into a distant or bygone world but also into a better one.
- Walter Benjamin
František Drtikol was an early 20th century Czech photographer famous for his modernist nudes and his portraits of Czech society figures, some of which you can see above. Drtikol experimented with photographic styles, moving from symbolism and pictorialism to a cubist/futurist style that was lauded at L'Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes in Paris in 1925. He eventually quit photography altogether and focused on painting and his Buddhist spirituality. One of Drtikol's favorite subjects was his first wife, Ervína Kupferová, who was a Czech dancer who performed in the National and Vinohrady theatres in Prague. In addition to being a big influence on future photographers, Drtikol taught several well-known Czech photographers including
Jaroslav Rössler and Josef Větrovský.