Blossfeldt

Karl Blossfeldt was a German photographer and sculptor who lived from the mid-19th to the early 20th century (1865–1932). He is best known for his close-up black-and-white photographs of plants and plant parts, which reveal the architectural qualities of natural forms. Blossfeldt pursued sculpture and design before turning to photography, and his work often treated botanical subjects as sources of universal form and ornament.

His most influential publication is Urformen der Kunst, commonly translated as Art Forms in Plant Life. First issued in the early 1920s, the book compiles hundreds of plant photographs that emphasize repetitive geometries, textures, and structural patterns. The images are typically presented as life-size or near life-size prints produced by direct contact with the plant material, a method that preserves precise detail and scale.

Blossfeldt’s photography bridged art, science, and design. The stark, formal compositions and the emphasis on natural geometry resonated with contemporary movements such as New Objectivity and the Bauhaus, influencing artists, designers, and educators who sought to understand and apply the structures found in nature to architecture, typography, and industrial design.

Today, Blossfeldt is regarded as a pioneer of macro photography and a key figure in the modernization of how natural forms are perceived and represented. His work remains a touchstone for discussions of form, ornament, and the relationship between nature and design.