Vlastislav Hofman (1884-1964), architect, painter, and set and costume designer, was a leading member of the Czech modernist movement, and is perhaps best known for his work in the theater. In a career which spanned approximately forty years he designed sets for nearly 300 productions and worked with many leading Czech dramaturges. The Vlastislav Hofman papers and drawings contains material from several stages in Hofman's career, and include an extensive collection of letters and postcards from prominent figures in the Czech avant-garde movement; business correspondence regarding exhibitions and conferences; several volumes of photographs of set designs, costume designs, and production designs; architectural sketches; and several original drawings of projects in the decorative arts representative of an early period in his career.

Vlastislav Hofman (1884-1964), was born in Jičín, a small town in northern Bohemia. Hofman's father was a shoemaker and an avid socialist. He was responsible for organizing a social-democratic organization in Jičín and in the surrounding area. Vlastislav Hofman's early exposure to political activity was to later inspire his work in the theater, such as in the designs for the "Husité" and "Svítání." From 1902 to 1907 Hofman attended the Czech Technical University in Prague, where he studied architecture under the direction of Jan Emil Koula and J. Schulz and met fellow artists Pavel Janák and Josef Chochol.

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