Nitophyllum ulvoideum in fruit
1843-1853
Meet the world's first photographic book illustration! Anna Atkins created this striking blue image by placing a piece of seaweed directly onto light-sensitive paper and exposing it to sunlight, a technique called a cyanotype. Published in the 1840s, her book 'Photographs of British Algae' beat out even the famous male photographers of her time to claim the title of first illustrated photography book. The ghostly white silhouette of the Nitophyllum ulvoideum seaweed against that deep Prussian blue background isn't just scientifically accurate—it's surprisingly modern and chic for a Victorian-era botanical study.
- Technique
- Cyanotype photogram
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