Josef Sudek, Prague 1967

Born in 1896, Josef Sudek spent nearly his entire life in Prague, where he created a body of work of extraordinary complexity. Recognized as one of the most significant photographers of the twentieth century, Sudek, who died in 1976, was also a cult figure in his homeland.

Compelled as a young man by his fascination with Sudek’s work, Timm Rautert visited Prague in the spring of 1967, shortly after he had begun studying photography. Rautert accompanied Sudek as he photographed the gardens in Little Prague on the left bank of the Moldau and met him in the darkroom and at his home. He came to know Sudek as a quiet man who lived modestly, sometimes happily spending the day with only bread and onions. This beautifully produced volume collects 42 black-and-white photographs from that pivotal time, alongside an essay (in German only) by Rautert.