Karl Blossfeldt

Foam_Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam presents a selection of original prints from the archive of Karl Blossfeldt in an exhibition that runs until 22 August.

Self-taught talent

Self-taught photographer Blossfeldt (Germany, 1865) nurtured a keen interest in nature since childhood. As a sculptor and modeller at an art foundry, he drew inspiration from flowers and plants for decorative motifs.

Blossfeldt in bloom

In the 1890s his career took a new direction when he joined a study project in Italy led by Moritz Meurer. It was then that Blossfeldt began to systematically collect and photograph plants.

Primal nature

This documentation was for artistic use rather than scientific. Using large cameras which he built himself, Blossfeldt photographed flowers and plants to study so-called primal forms from nature.

Late recognition

Like his mentor Meurer, Blossfeldt wanted these forms to provide a source of ideas for architects, painters and graphic artists. In the course of his life he produced around six thousand photos, although it was only in his latter years that he received recognition for his work.