Punctaria latifolia c. 1843 - 1853

Anna Atkins created this cyanotype, Punctaria latifolia, using a photographic printing process that gives the print a distinctive blue tone. The composition presents us with the delicate form of seaweed against a monochrome background. Atkins was interested in the scientific recording of specimens, so the form is the focus. The plant, with its many indentations, is set against the flat, deep blue, drawing attention to the details of its outline. The cyanotype process itself, with its stark contrast, emphasizes the structure of the algae. This aesthetic rendering invites consideration of form and structure. Ultimately, it is the stark formal arrangement and unique materiality of the cyanotype that make this work so compelling. We see an early intersection of art and science that questions how we perceive and categorize the natural world through the lens of technology and artistic expression.