Cirsium canum
1928
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Karl Blossfeldt
Karl Blossfeldt (13 June 1865 – 9 December 1932) was a German photographer and sculptor.
See the richer artist page1928
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Cirsium canum is a 1928 by Karl Blossfeldt, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a close-up of a thistle flower head. The tight layers of spiky leaves fan out from the center, each one drawn with sharp lines and soft shading. The stem is thin and dark, almost lost against the pale background. The artist used light and shadow to show the texture of each leaf. The darkest parts pop against the lighter edges, making the thistle look almost three-dimensional. Next, look up technique: chiaroscuro.
Karl Blossfeldt (13 June 1865 – 9 December 1932) was a German photographer and sculptor.
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