Jaromír Funke

Jaromír Funke (1 August 1896 – 22 March 1945) was a leading Czech photographer during the 1920s and 1930s.

Early life Funke was born to a wealthy family in house No. 238 in Skuteč on 1 August 1896, the son of Antonín Funke, Bohemian-German lawyer (son of Josef Funke, a Kolín draper) and his wife Miloslava, the daughter of Professor František Potůček. He studied medicine at Prague University, and law and philosophy at the Charles University in Prague and the university of Bratislava but did not graduate and instead turned to photography.

Style Funke was recognized for his “photographic games” using mirrors, lights, and insignificant objects, such as plates, bottles, or glasses, to create unique works. His work was regarded as logical, original and expressive in nature. Funke later became an editor of the journal Fotografický obzor ("Photographic Horizons") for several years. He published a number of works including Od fotogramu k emoci which is understood to be his manifesto. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., May 3 - August 9, 2009 Jaromír Funke and Avant-garde Photography in Czechoslovakia 1900–1950, Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn, May 15 – August 30, 2015 Jaromír Funke: Photographer of the Avant-Garde, Leica Gallery, Prague, November 25, 2016 - January 29, 2017. Later exhibited at Fotografie Forum Frankfurt