Originally intended as reference for his work as architect, sculptor, and teacher, Blossfeldt's exquisite sharp-focus photo studies of plant form — leaves, buds, stems, seed pods, tendrils and twigs — won acclaim with publication of the 1928 edition of this book. 120 full-page black-and-white plates. Original introduction. Publisher's Note. Captions.
Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1932) photographed thousands of plants; these are almost never seen from above, but rather from the side, and against a neutral background. This book featuers these images of plants.
How Karl Blossfeldt's plant photographs were disseminated in the popular media of the time, from pattern books to magazine spreads In the 1890s, the Berlin artist, sculptor and teacher Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1932) started to photograph plants, seeds and other illustrative material from nature for the purpose of teaching his students about the patterns and designs found in natural forms. His close-ups of the smallest plant parts, magnified up to 30 times their natural size, startle us as they dramatically highlight the geometrical and sculptural properties of plants. Published in 1928, his first collection of photographs, Urformen der Kunst (later translated into English as Art Forms in Nature) became an international bestseller and remains one of the most significant photobooks of the 20th century. Karl Blossfeldt: Variations is the first monograph to examine the reception of Blossfeldt's work. Drawing on unpublished materials, it analyzes the photographs' replication in teaching materials, pattern books, art books and in the pages of the illustrated press. The six sections of the book trace the paths that Blossfeldt's legendary plant motifs took in their incarnations as specimens, illustrations, patterns, analogues, models and abstractions from 1890 to 1945. Thematic contemporary appraisals illustrating the rediscovery of Blossfeldt's motifs in design and architecture over the past 20 years complement this new perspective on the beloved German photographer.
Unique, dramatic images of seed pods, buds, stems, and other botanical items appear in this remarkable collection. Excellent source of royalty-free pictures and design ideas for artists, craftspeople. 120 full-page black-and-white plates.
Vintage Art: 20 Botanical Photography Prints features a collection of curated macrophotography by Karl Blossfeldt, a self taught German photographer (1865-1932). This book highlights some of the beautiful photography from Blossfeldt's book Urformen der Kunst (Archetypes of Art) (1928). He photographed an array of plants, flowers, leaves, and seeds in close detail, by magnifying them several times thus producing images that captured the realism of nature. The prints are one sided and can be removed from the book by either using a box cutter or scissors, the illustrations are ideal for either framing or art and craft projects.
The iconic German photographer Karl Blossfeldt's stunning plant photography is presented here for the first time in an English language edition with beautifully printed duotones that do justice to the work of this turn of the century master. A truly stunning and important book.
Alexey Titarenko: The city Is a novel' is the first major monograph devoted to over 20 years of the artist's distinguished career (1991-2014). The book features his autobiographical novel "City of Shadows" and a poetic visual narrative of more than 140 photographs focused on four cities: Saint Petersburg, Venice, Havana, and New York. Insightful essays about Titarenko's work are contributed by Gabriel Bauret, photography historian, critic and curator, Paris; Brett Abbott, Curator of Photography, High Museum of Art, Atlanta; and Sean Corcoran, Curator of Prints and Photographs, Museum of the City of New York.
Vintage Art: 20 Botanical Photography Prints features a collection of curated macrophotography by Karl Blossfeldt, a self-taught German photographer (1865-1932). This book highlights some of the beautiful photography from Blossfeldt's book Urformen der Kunst (Archetypes of Art) (1928). He photographed an array of plants, flowers, leaves, and seeds in close detail, by magnifying them several times thus producing images that captured the realism of nature. The prints are one-sided and can be removed from the book by either using a box cutter or scissors, the illustrations are ideal for either framing or art and craft projects.
Karl Blossfeldt's monochrome photographs present semi-abstract 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.
Chinese artist Liu Ye’s subtle, colorful canvases convey his love of literature in the artist’s first publication solely dedicated to his paintings of books. Beijing-based artist Liu Ye is known for his precise, deftly rendered representational paintings. Reminiscent of cartoons and illustrations in children’s books, they include references to abstract artists such as Piet Mondrian. In this new publication devoted exclusively to his Book Paintings, the artist examines the book as both a physical object and cultural totem. He simultaneously stresses the geometry in the composition while always imbuing his paintings with his uniquely recognizable style. The result is a body of work that feels both alien and familiar. Liu's Book Painting series, begun in 2013, depicts closeup views of books that are turned open to reveal empty pages, a strategy that emphasizes the object’s formal qualities over its content. Intimately scaled, these paintings indicate an appreciation of the book as an object, as well as a love of literature—Liu’s father was a children’s book author who introduced him to Western writers at a young age, fueling his curiosity and imagination. Published on the occasion of a solo exhibition presented at David Zwirner, New York, in 2020, this catalogue includes new writing by the acclaimed poet Zhu Zhu and an interview with the artist by Hans Ulrich Obrist.
