Women’s gymnastics class, 1948

About the Work

Hundreds of women in uniform – skirt, blouse and headscarf – are resting their heads in their hands as if they were praying. The ‘praying women’ are in rank and file on the field of the Strahov stadium in Prague. The documentary and sports photographer Václav Chochola chose a low angle for his photo of the 500 gymnasts. The minimalist composition emphasises the geometrical arrangement of the women. In the far distance they melt into an indistinct mass of white dots and the public in the stands appears like an abstract area.