Exilaria crystallinum, parasitic
1843-1853
Anna Atkins created this striking blue image using a technique called cyanotype, essentially making a photogram by placing seaweed directly onto light-sensitive paper and exposing it to sunlight. Published in the 1840s as part of her book 'Photographs of British Algae,' this work is historically massive—it's widely considered the first book ever illustrated with photographic images. The delicate, ghostly white branches of the algae float against that iconic Prussian blue background, looking more like frost on a window than a scientific study of marine life.
- Technique
- Cyanotype
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