Dictyota dichotoma, β intricata
1843-1853
Imagine placing a piece of seaweed on light-sensitive paper and letting the sun do the drawing—that's exactly what Anna Atkins did here. This ghostly white silhouette of Dictyota dichotoma (a type of brown algae) floats against a striking Prussian blue background, created using the cyanotype process. Atkins wasn't just making pretty pictures; she was pioneering a new way to document science. In fact, her 1843 book featuring these images is widely considered the very first book ever illustrated with photographs, beating out the famous male photographers of her time!
- Technique
- Cyanotype (photogram)
- Material
- Paper
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