The use of botanical specimens as photographic subject matter became popular at the inception of the medium, as evident in the calotypes of Henry Fox Talbot and the cyanotype studies of Anna Atkins. The further use of these photographic subjects as models for translation into other art mediums was practised by Blossfeldt as well as others before him, such as the photographer/draftsman Adolphe Braun, who translated floral arrangements into award-winning textile designs. From 1898-1932, Blossfeldt taught sculpture based on natural plant forms at the Royal School of the Museum of Decorative Arts (now the Hochschule für Bildende Künste) in Berlin. During this time, he strove to perfect the documentation of botanical specimens with macrophotography utilizing a camera of his own design. In his desire to systematically draw parallels between nature and art, Blossfeldt also created a typology of forms. All his efforts culminated in the landmark book Urformen der Kunst, published in 1928. Reviewed shortly thereafter in Literarische Welt by the famous art critic, Walter Benjamin, Blossfeldt's work at last achieved recognition on it's own merit as an art form. His first one-man show was held in London in 1929. His work is in the collections of the Museum Ludwig, Cologne; the Länderbank, Vienna; the Bibliothêque Nationale, Paris; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; and in important private collections.

Vintage prints are scarce; it is thought that only one to three vintage prints of each image exist.