Photographing geometry

Mathematicians had solved many of the problems related to complex polyhedra by the late 19th century, and their interest was diminishing. Not so for Max Brückner, who in 1900 published his history and compendium of complex polyhedra, including technical drawings and descriptions of over 100 three-dimensional shapes. Brückner created the models himself in paper and card, and then had these models photographed and assembled into a series of plates. The effect is mesmerizing – ‘shelf’ after ‘shelf’ of shapes of ever-increasing complexity. 

Max Brückner, Vielecke und Vielflache, Leipzig 1900. 1832 d. 

• Designed specially for the Exhibition Thinking 3D: from Leonardo to present
• Printed in the UK