Griffithsia multifida
1843-1853
Anna Atkins created this stunning image by placing a piece of seaweed directly onto light-sensitive paper and exposing it to the sun, resulting in a ghostly white silhouette against a deep Prussian blue background. Published in the 1840s, this piece is part of her groundbreaking book 'Photographs of British Algae,' which makes her the very first person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images. It's essentially a 19th-century photocopy of nature, capturing the delicate, branching structure of the algae Griffithsia multifida with incredible precision.
- Technique
- Cyanotype
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