Conferva flavescens c. 1843 - 1853

Anna Atkins made this cyanotype, "Conferva flavescens", in the 19th century, using a photographic printing process that yields a distinctive cyan-blue print. Atkins, a botanist, placed specimens of algae directly onto paper treated with iron salts, then exposed it to sunlight. Where the light hit, the solution turned blue; where the algae blocked the light, the paper remained white. It’s a beautiful, simple technique – essentially harnessing the sun’s energy to create an image. The resulting print has an ethereal quality. The delicate forms of algae appear suspended in the deep blue ground, with the light passing through the specimen, and the variations of tone give the image a three-dimensional presence. Atkins’s work reflects a moment when art, science, and craft were deeply intertwined. She used this proto-photographic process not only for its scientific accuracy, but for its aesthetic potential. It reminds us that creativity can be found in unexpected places, and that materials and processes can blur the lines between disciplines.