Gelidium cartilagineum
1843-1853
Anna Atkins created this ghostly white seaweed silhouette by placing the actual specimen directly onto light-sensitive paper and exposing it to sunlight, a technique known as a cyanotype. Published in the 1840s as part of her book 'British Algae,' this image is historically massive—it's widely considered one of the first photographic illustrations ever printed in a book. The deep Prussian blue background creates a dreamy, underwater atmosphere that turns a scientific botanical study into a piece of ethereal art.
- Technique
- Cyanotype
- Material
- Paper
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