Papaver
Karl Blossfeldt
Description
Subject Matter:
Presented as a diptych, this photograph displays two closeup views of dried poppy seed-pods. The pod on the left appears hard and leathery, a ring of holes visible beneath a raised crown. On the right, the pod’s crown is lowered, and covers its top in a carapace-like crest. Positioned as if heads in a portrait, these botanical specimens possess an uncanny anthropomorphic quality. With a handmade camera of his own devising, Blossfeldt created this photograph using a powerful magnifying lens, allowing him to render the textures of the tiny pods in crisp detail. Printed in matte, green-black tones, this image originally appeared in the books, Urformen der Kunst (1928) and Art Forms in Nature (1929), and accompanied other closeup views of botanical specimens.
Physical Description:
Presented as a diptych, this photograph displays two closeup views of dried poppy seed-pods positioned against a light background.
Usage Rights:
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.