Calothrix confervicola, parasitic 1851 - 1855

"Calothrix confervicola, parasitic" is a cyanotype print by Anna Atkins, a pioneer in the use of photography for scientific documentation. Atkins, a British botanist, created a series of cyanotype albums, including "Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions," from 1851-1855. This particular image, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, shows a delicate, almost translucent specimen of Calothrix confervicola, a type of blue-green algae, in exquisite detail against the striking blue background.