Karl Blossfeldt photogravure: it's Ultrareal

April 30, 2003 12:47 AM

German Objectivist photographer Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1932) once said "the best constructions for industrial design have already been anticipated in nature." Do your eyes a favor and look here.
posted by taz (9 comments total)

Many more photos (with some overlap) here; Blossfeldt bio, concise and nice, here. Want meat? Sink your teeth into Photography at the Bauhaus.
posted by taz at 12:48 AM on April 30, 2003

Hallelujah, hippugeek's got new wallpaper!

Really, taz, these are just gorgeous. It took me a moment of staring to realize that these little Towers of Pisa are the tiny reeds I used to pluck segments off of and reassemble. Modular architecture of the plant world...
posted by hippugeek at 1:03 AM on April 30, 2003

very very nice... almost frightening.
posted by Espoo2 at 2:18 AM on April 30, 2003

This is good, thanks taz.

Blossfeldt's Nigella. This decorates my bookshelf!
posted by plep at 4:46 AM on April 30, 2003

Objectivism Teaches...
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:37 AM on April 30, 2003

Fantastic. That is all.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 7:52 AM on April 30, 2003

GREATLINK. i believe this was previously posted on metafilter.

nature trumps.
posted by specialk420 at 8:18 AM on April 30, 2003

How beautiful. You've done it again, taz. Somehow I can picture one or two of these ending up in a beautiful wallpaper or tile somewhere. I can always hope!

This is the first link from here that I've ever forwarded to someone - my son's science teacher. His class is study symmetry in nature, and recreating plant sections and plant cells using cake and frosting. I foresee some delicious and beautiful projects coming up!
posted by iconomy at 10:20 AM on April 30, 2003

taz, this stuff is exquisite! It makes me realize that I just don't pay enough attention to the detail of the world around me...a good reminder for the spring when all the all the little brown nubs & sprouts are just ready to burst forth in green glory. Cool find, thanks for sharing!
posted by madamjujujive at 4:24 PM on April 30, 2003