Jaromír Funke was a key figure in Czech avant-garde photography during the 1920s and 1930s, alongside František Drtikol, Josef Sudek, and Jaroslav Rössler. His innovative approach helped shape modern photography in Czechoslovakia and beyond.

Funke studied medicine, law, and philosophy in Prague before dedicating himself to photography in 1922. Influenced by Drtikol, he engaged with various artistic movements, including constructivism, surrealism, poeticism, and expressionism. Traditional Czech lyricism and the avant-garde ideals of the Devětsil group also deeply influenced his work.

In 1924, Jaromír Funke co-founded the Czech Society of Photography with Sudek, advocating for distinctly photographic methods such as the photogram and promoting a break from conventional representation. His experiments with light, shadow, and reflection, along with his abstract still lifes and dynamic compositions emphasizing diagonal lines and extreme angles, distinguished him as a visionary artist.

Funke also made significant contributions as an educator. From 1931 to 1935, he taught at the School of Arts and Crafts in Bratislava, where he explored social documentary photography. He later joined the State School of Graphic Arts in Prague, teaching there from 1935 until 1944.

During the Nazi occupation, Funke edited and published the journal Photographic Horizon for two years, demonstrating his commitment to artistic expression despite political repression. He remained active in writing and organizing exhibitions, leaving a lasting impact on the evolution of modern photography.

Funke’s work is held in major museum collections worldwide, including The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. His photographs are also in the collections of Czech institutions such as the Moravian Gallery in Brno and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, underscoring his enduring influence on 20th-century photography.