Artwork
Cobaea scandens
Cobaea scandens 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
Cobaea scandens is a 1928 photogravure print by Karl Blossfeldt, depicting a single Cobaea scandens flower in meticulous detail through black and white photography.
Subject & Meaning
The work focuses on the structural intricacies of a Cobaea scandens flower, emphasizing nature’s organic forms and growth patterns, reflecting Blossfeldt’s fascination with botanical detail, influenced by his father’s botanical interests.
Technique & Style
Executed as a photogravure, the print showcases Blossfeldt’s photographic precision, capturing the flower’s texture, venation, and subtle curvature in high contrast, characteristic of his close-up plant studies.
History & Provenance
Created in 1928, Cobaea scandens was published the following year in Blossfeldt’s seminal work *Urformen der Kunst* (Archetypes of Art), alongside other plant photographs highlighting nature’s structural beauty.
Artist & collection
Artist
Karl Blossfeldt (13 June 1865 – 9 December 1932) was a German photographer and sculptor.
