Published by Schirmer/Mosel in 2012, “Alphabet der Pflanzen” is a classic collection of Karl Blossfeldt’s pioneering botanical photography. Blossfeldt, a sculptor and professor at Berlin’s school of arts and crafts, used a homemade camera to magnify plant parts, revealing their intricate, architectural structures against neutral backgrounds. This book serves as a “catalogue of forms,” showcasing how blossoms, buds, and stems contain the primordial patterns of art and architecture. With an introductory essay by Gert Mattenklott, the volume highlights Blossfeldt’s contribution to the New Objectivity movement and his enduring influence on modern design, capturing the “optical unconscious” hidden within the natural world.
