Stachys Menthifolia (Wound Wort) and Nicotiana Rustica (Tobacco Plant) before 1928

This photogravure, "Stachys Menthifolia (Wound Wort) and Nicotiana Rustica (Tobacco Plant)," was made by Karl Blossfeldt, though when exactly is not specified, with a camera, a totally different tool to a brush! I'm thinking about Blossfeldt looking at those plants, seeing the architecture in them—the way they branch and reach. The print reminds me of the way certain painters use a limited palette to explore form and structure. Think of Morandi and his bottles, but instead, it’s plants! I see Blossfeldt carefully arranging his compositions, probably in his studio. There's a cool detachment, almost scientific, but there's also a real appreciation for the weird beauty of nature. The texture of the paper has got this soft, velvety feel, which makes the images almost tactile. I wonder if he ever thought of himself as being in a conversation with painters? Maybe not directly, but the way he looks at form—it's all connected, you know?