Nostoe commune
1843-1853
Anna Atkins created this striking blue image by placing actual specimens of the algae Nostoc commune directly onto light-sensitive paper and exposing them to sunlight. This process, called a cyanotype, resulted in these ghostly white silhouettes against a deep Prussian blue background. Atkins wasn't just making pretty pictures; she was making history as the first person to publish a book illustrated entirely with photographic images, beating out even the famous male photographers of her time! Her 1843 book, Photographs of British Algae, turned scientific documentation into something truly magical.
- Technique
- cyanotype
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