Karl Blossfeldt

The story

Blossfeldt photographed plant specimens with a system that magnified their details. Stems, seeds and buds appear isolated against simple backgrounds in work connected with teaching form and the applied arts. Publication brought these plates to audiences far beyond the classroom. The images hover between botanical observation, decorative model and the discovery of an almost architectural structure.

Understanding the work

Compare a familiar plant with its enlarged image. Scale, a neutral background and isolation change what we recognise, revealing structures that usually go unnoticed.

Key works and series

Urformen der Kunst; plates of enlarged plant specimens.

Sources & further exploration

• MoMA — Karl Blossfeldt ↗