Josef Sudek, Poet of Prague: A Photographer's Life

by Josef Sudek, Anna Fárová

In a career that spanned nearly seven decades, Josef Sudek, one of the masters of twentieth-century photography, created his own solitary world of shadow and light, of theme and variation. The more than 100 images in this monograph convey the spirit of Prague as well as the spirit of Sudek.

Genres: Photography, Art and Photography

153 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1990

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I probably didn't do this book any favours reading it in two sittings with such a big gap in between. However, I still enjoyed it. The biographical sections are a little dry and functional - you get a strong sense of what he did and how he developed as a photographer, but not a great sense of what it was actually like for him. I guess in part he doesn't come across as the kind of person who necessarily would care about documenting that side of his life.

The photographs however, are beautiful as you would expect. Foggy scenes of Prague, lovely panoramas and more photographs of glasses of water on his window sill than you deserve. The photo that introduced me to Sudek, back in 2006, when Greg Fallis wrote his article on Sudek was a plate in front of the window. I can't believe it took me this long to finally read this book!

[Owlseyes]

So good, thanks, Sudek.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z949...

[Rachel Kowal · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Josef Sudek. Do yourself a favor and Google image search his name right now. An intriguing man, a cheerful and amazingly patient one-armed photographer, with a pointed vision. It's all there in the light and shadows.

"He waited for a long time for the right light. Maybe half an hour, maybe an hour. When it did not materialize, he picked up the camera and we moved to a higher place. And we waited again. He wrestled with the light like Jacob wrestled with the angel . . . He did not speak . . . Only from time to time he whispered to himself his favorite saying, 'the music keeps playing.'"

[Yooperprof · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rating is mostly for the photographs which are beautifully reproduced. Sudek (1896-1976) was one of the very greatest of all black and white photographers, and his work will have an especially strong impact upon anyone who has had the good fortune to spend time in Prague wandering aimlessly through the streets of the old city. There is also a short but very effective narrative account of Sudek's life and ethos, written by a Czech woman who was one of his curators in the last years of his life.

[Jonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly good, if short, chronicle of "The Poet of Prague". He lived through two world wars, Communism, and the loss of an arm. Josef never married, yet he retained a love of his fellow man and nature. Sadly, this volume lacks in number regarding his panoramas. But, I'd recommend it to both Sudek novices and general photography hounds.

[everinasweater · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting profile of a hard-working and driven photographer with an odd personality. (aren't all artists at least a bit odd?) his personal obstacles make what he was able to accomplish and capture even more amazing.