Composition – glass and ball (Still Life with a Ball)

Jaromír Funke, together with Jaroslav Rössler (1902–1990), is a pioneer of modern Czech photography. In the 1920s to 1940s he contributed to its evolvement both by his work and his theoretical studies and articles. He was also active as a teacher. One of the main lines in his work was the theme of the still-life. He composed it from geometrical elements (ball, oblong glass surfaces, glasses) into pure and clear entities. His work is a synthesis of Purist thoughts, constructivist rationality, later even of pietistic and surrealist playfulness. And although Funke’s work is now accepted as avant-garde and experimental, the autor was a supporter of pure, non-manipulated photography, in which he always primarily emphasized the idea and the content.