Karl Blossfeldt. The Complete Published Work. 40th Ed.

Par (auteur) Adam, Hans Christian
Short description/annotation:
Karl Blossfeldt’s monochrome photographs present semiabstracted studies of diverse flora, bridging the 19th- and 20th-century worlds of image-making and bringing a distinctly sculptural aspect to a two-dimensional medium. This volume collects all known published images, capturing the innate visual poetry and formal elegance of plants.
Description:

German photography pioneer Karl Blossfeldt (1865–1932) photographed plants so beautifully, and with such originality, that his work transcends the medium itself. Over more than 30 years, he took thousands of photographs, revealing a formally rigorous talent whose precision and dedication bridge the 19th- and 20th-century worlds of image-making and bring a distinctly sculptural aspect to a firmly two-dimensional art form.

Beautifully but starkly composed against plain cardboard backgrounds, Blossfeldt’s images, relying on a northern light for their sense of volume, reveal nothing of the man but everything of themselves. They are still lifes, piercingly final statements on their subject, and have endured owing to their aesthetics and the ongoing fascination of students and photographers. Like their maker, they are quietly and lastingly effective.

Review quote:
“It would be only a slight exaggeration to say that photographers in the know have been waiting for this book.”
Biographical note:
Hans Christian Adam studied psychology, art history and communication in Göttingen and Vienna. As a specialist in historical images, he has published numerous articles and books, including titles on travel and war photography. He is the author of TASCHEN’s Edward Sheriff Curtis: The North American Indian, Karl Blossfeldt, and Eugène Atget: Paris.