Polysiphonia urceolata 1851 - 1855

"Polysiphonia urceolata" is a cyanotype photograph by Anna Atkins, a pioneer of photographic documentation. Created between 1851 and 1855, this work showcases Atkins's innovative use of the cyanotype process to capture the delicate beauty of algae specimens, a key subject in her scientific and artistic practice. The image is rendered in the signature cyanotype blue, with the white algae specimen standing out in stark contrast against the background. This image is part of Atkins's groundbreaking book "Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions," which is considered one of the first photographic books ever published.