Grateloupia filicina.
1843-1853
Meet Anna Atkins, the pioneer who accidentally created the first photographically illustrated book! In the 1840s, she used a brand-new technique called cyanotype—the same 'blueprint' process later used by architects—to capture the delicate, lace-like structures of seaweed. By placing algae directly onto light-sensitive paper and exposing it to the sun, she created these stunning, ghostly white silhouettes against a deep Prussian blue background. It’s basically Victorian-era photograms, proving that science and art have been best friends for centuries.
- Technique
- Cyanotype
- Material
- Cyanotype on paper
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