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.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Karl Blossfeldt (13 June 1865 – 9 December 1932) was a German photographer and sculptor.
