Karl Blossfeldt was born June 13, 1865 in Schielo, Germany. Best known for his sharp up-close portraits of plants, buds, leaves and other foliage, in 1881, Blossfeldt began his art career as an apprentice at the Art Ironworks and Foundry in Mägdesprung, Germany. There he studied sculpture and iron casting, but soon after moved to Berlin to study at the School of the Museum of Decorative Arts. In 1890, Blossfeldt was granted a scholarship to study in Rome under Moritz Meurer, a professor of decorative design. Beginning in 1898, Blossfeldt began to teach design at the School of the Museum of Decorative Arts and there he created a plant photography collection that he would actively use to teach his students about design and patterns in nature. Although he was never “formally” trained in photography, Blossfeldt took many of his photos with a camera that he modified to photograph plants with unparalleled amplification. Because of this, Blossfeldt photographed the nature with the precision of a Botanist and, for scientific purposes, unintentionally became an artist. He passed away December 9, 1932 in Berlin at the age of 67. “The plant never lapses into mere arid functionalism; it fashions and shapes according to logic and suitability, and with its primeval force compels everything to attain the highest artistic form.” (Karl Blossfeldt)

Acanthus Mollis

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