Ulva Linza [= Ulva linza] c. 1843 - 1853

Anna Atkins made this cyanotype photogram of Ulva Linza seaweed at an unknown date. Atkins's work emerges from a Victorian context profoundly shaped by scientific exploration. As a woman in 19th-century England, Atkins navigated a world of constraints, yet her access to scientific circles, largely through her father, allowed her to merge artistic expression with scientific inquiry. This photogram is part of her broader project, "Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions," which is considered the first book illustrated with photographic images. The striking blue hue, a result of the cyanotype process, transforms the seaweed into an almost ethereal specimen, inviting reflection on the intersection of art, science, and gender in the Victorian era. Atkins’s piece, while rooted in scientific documentation, transcends the purely objective, offering an emotional and aesthetic experience. It prompts questions about women's contributions to science, and the narratives that are included and excluded from the historical record.