František Drtikol’s project, Woman in Light, represents an important chapter in the development of modernist art and photography, emphasizing the fusion of Futurist dynamism, Art Deco’s streamlined elegance, and the avant-garde’s experimental abstraction. Created in the late 1920s and culminating in a 1930 publication, this project marks the peak of Drtikol’s exploration into geometric forms and dramatic lighting in his nude photographs. As one of Czechoslovakia’s most celebrated photographers, Drtikol’s work transitioned from his early pictorialist influences to embrace modernist styles, reflecting broader cultural and artistic shifts of the interwar period.
Central to the artistic vision of Woman in Light is the interplay between abstraction and corporeality. Drtikol’s nudes are not portraits of individuals but rather symbolic representations of form and energy. While Art Deco influenced Drtikol’s nude photographs, what sets this project apart is its prominent integration of Futurist dynamism, evidenced in the use of angular forms and dynamic poses. By abstracting the female body through light, shadow, and geometric props such as circles, triangles, and parallel lines, he created compositions that transcend the literal to evoke a universal aesthetic language. Conceptually, the project connects the physical and metaphysical realms, suggesting a dialogue between the material and the ethereal, shaped by Drtikol’s spiritual interests.
Inspired by the dramatic lighting techniques of silent films, Drtikol utilized bold, directional lighting to create stark contrasts of light and shadow, enhancing a theatrical and expressive atmosphere. The poses of the models—often dynamic and angular—emphasize the geometric precision of the compositions, while the black-and-white medium heightens the sense of abstraction. Drtikol's mastery in manipulating tonal contrasts with precision, coupled with his handcrafted plywood sets, provided an architectural framework for his compositions.
Upon its release, Woman in Light consolidated Drtikol’s international profile. Recognition around the work was shaped by the Grand Prize at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (Paris) and by early circulation of related nudes in overseas exhibitions. Later reassessments—beginning with the Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague (1972), followed by the Photographers’ Gallery, London (1974), and an international retrospective in 1991 (Odense; Bremen; Frankfurt)—situated the book within modernist debates on abstraction and the nude.
