Lyngbya vermicularis
1843-1853
Meet the world's first photobook, created by a Victorian scientist who decided cameras were too much trouble. Anna Atkins placed this squiggly algae, Lyngbya vermicularis, directly onto chemically treated paper and left it out in the sun to create this ghostly white silhouette against a Prussian blue background. Published in 1843, this image is part of her groundbreaking 'Photographs of British Algae', making her the first person to illustrate a book with photographic images—beating out the guys by a landslide.
- Technique
- Cyanotype
- Material
- Paper
Views: 1