Conferva glomerata c. 1843 - 1853

Anna Atkins made this cyanotype of Conferva glomerata, a type of algae, in England in the mid-19th century. Atkins was part of a circle of early photographers, but unusually, she was a woman. Think about the social conditions that constrained women's participation in science and art at this time. It was hard for women to gain entry into the scientific establishment. Atkins used photography as a means to create a visual record of botanical specimens, in a way, working around the established institutions of science. She self-published her photographs in a series of books. In doing so, Atkins bypassed the traditional publishing industry, which may have been less receptive to the work of a female scientist. Looking into the history of science, and in particular the history of women in science, can help us to understand the significance of this image, and the unusual position of its maker.