Plantstudie, Equisetum hiemale 1928

This is a photograph of a plant called Equisetum hiemale, also known as rough horsetail, made by Karl Blossfeldt. Look at the plant reaching up and out, how its segments stack up, one on top of the other! I feel like it's both ancient and futuristic. I wonder what it was like for Blossfeldt to focus so intently on a single plant? What was he thinking? Perhaps he saw the plant as a model, an architectural prototype. Each ridge and curve echoes classical forms, like a column or a vase. I am reminded of other artists like Georgia O'Keeffe, who also found abstract beauty in natural forms. What is so remarkable about Blossfeldt’s plant studies is how he captured the hidden geometry of nature, revealing patterns and structures we often overlook. It is like he’s having a conversation with the plant, listening to what it has to say. It’s a reminder that creativity is all about seeing the world in new ways.