Josef Sudek

photographer

Czech^[1,2,3] b. 17 March 1896, Kolín, Bohemia^[1,2,3] d. 15 September 1976, Prague^[1,2,3] active 1913–1976

Josef Sudek (1896–1976) was a prominent Czech photographer renowned for his poetic and introspective black-and-white images. Born in Kolín, Bohemia, he began his career as an apprentice bookbinder before serving in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I, where he lost his right arm to shrapnel wounds. This injury significantly influenced his artistic approach, leading him to develop a unique style that favored subjective experience over objective reality. Sudek is best known for his evocative photographs of Prague's Gothic and Baroque architecture, street scenes, and intimate still lifes captured in and around his studio. His work often features blurred images, strong shadows, and a focus on the refraction of light through glass, earning him the nickname 'The Poet of Prague.' He was a pioneer of Czech photography who moved away from Modernist trends to create a deeply personal visual language.^[1,2,3,4,5]

• Prague architecture
• still life
• light and shadow
• subjective experience
• Bohemian landscapes