Cutleria multifida
1843-1853
Anna Atkins created this striking image by placing a piece of seaweed directly onto light-sensitive paper and letting the sun do the rest. This technique, known as a cyanotype, turns the background a deep Prussian blue while the plant blocks the light, leaving a ghostly white silhouette. Atkins is famous for being the first person to publish a book illustrated entirely with photographs, releasing 'Photographs of British Algae' in 1843. She essentially created the world's first scientific photo book to help her friends identify tricky seaweed species.
- Technique
- Cyanotype
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