Frantisek Drtikol's photographs of the nude body illustrate the ongoing influence of contemporary art movements on photographic creation. Drtikol, who in his youth had been inspired by Art Nouveau, had embraced Art Deco ideals by the 1920s. This photograph represents his movement toward abstraction in his depiction of the nude model. He began, he stated, to "use the body as a decorative object, positioning it in various settings and lights." Employing a simple disk as a prop, the artist layered violent contrasts of light and shadow like a collage. The model becomes simply another element in the geometric composition, her body distorted by deep shadows created with dramatic, harsh lighting.

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