Polysiphonia violacea
1843-1853
Imagine making a photograph without a camera—that's exactly what Anna Atkins did here. By placing delicate seaweed directly onto light-sensitive paper and exposing it to sunlight, she created this ghostly, intricate white silhouette against a deep Prussian blue background. This piece, *Polysiphonia violacea*, comes from her 1843 book, which holds the title of the first book ever illustrated with photographic images. It’s a beautiful mix of hard science and dreamy art, proving that Victorian botanists knew how to make things look cool.
- Technique
- Cyanotype
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