Artwork
Aconiyum anthora
Aconiyum anthora is a print by Karl Blossfeldt. It dates from 1928 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Aconiyum anthora is a 1928 photogravure print by Karl Blossfeldt, featuring a detailed, close-up depiction of a single dried plant with long, pointed leaves arranged in a star-like pattern around a thin stem, set against a plain light background.
Subject & Meaning
The work highlights the sculptural qualities of plant forms, reflecting Blossfeldt's fascination with organic growth and structural aspects of nature, a theme central to his practice and later published in 'Urformen der Kunst' (1929).
Technique & Style
Blossfeldt utilized photogravure, a printing technique renowned for capturing fine details, to render the intricate textures of the plant, including tiny veins and edges, in high precision.
History & Provenance
Created in 1928, 'Aconiyum anthora' is part of Blossfeldt's seminal body of plant photography, influenced by his family background and a precursor to his influential publication the following year.
Context
This piece is characteristic of Blossfeldt's broader photographic project to isolate and magnify plant details, drawing parallels between natural and sculptural forms, reflecting early 20th-century interests in the intersection of art and nature.
Legacy
'Aconiyum anthora' contributes to Blossfeldt's enduring legacy in photographic history, particularly in the genre of nature photography, emphasizing form and structure.
Artist & collection
Artist
Karl Blossfeldt (13 June 1865 – 9 December 1932) was a German photographer and sculptor.
