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A fascination for flora: timeless photos in
which plants become sculptures. The Complete Published Work
"It would be only a slight exaggeration to say that photographers
in the know have been waiting for this book, which features the published
work of Karl Blossfeldt." - The New York Times, New York
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 nineteenth and twentieth 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 technical brilliance and the ongoing fascination of students and
photographers. Like their maker, they are quietly and lastingly effective.
About the author:
Dr. Hans Christian Adam studied psychology, art history and communication
studies in Gottingen and Vienna. As a specialist in historical pictorial
material, 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, Eugene Atget: Paris
and Berlin.
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