Czech photographer, co-founder of Czech Photographic Society in 1924, with Jaromir Funke; trained as a bookbinder; amateur photographer prior to first world war, in whihc he lost a hand; studied with Karel Novák at the State School of Graphic Art 1922 to 1924; from second world war lived as recluse in house in Prague; received award of merit from Czech government in 1961.