Books By Karel Jaromír Erben, Jan Jedlicka, Marek Jodas, Steidl Design - Author

Karel Jaromir Erben (1811-70) was a Czech poet, historian and archivist with a particular interest in the folklore of his homeland. Born in Miletin near Jicin, Erben studied philosophy and law in Prague before working there as a court legal official. In 1843 the Czech patriot and historian Frantisek Palacky recruited him to join the National Museum; Erben was appointed archives' secretary there in 1850. Erben's books include his Romantic ballads Kytice z povesti národnich (A Bouquet of Folk Legends) of 1853 and his retelling of traditional stories Sto prostonarodnich pohadek a povesti slovanskych v narecich puvodnich (One Hundred Slavic Folktales and Legends in Original Dialects) of 1865.

Jan Jedlicka was born in Prague in 1944, where he studied painting at the academy before immigrating to Switzerland in 1969. He turned to photography rather late in his career. Jedlicka's work has been exhibited at museums and galleries throughout Europe, including Kunstmuseum and Kunstha