Delesseria hypoglassum 1851 - 1855

This cyanotype of *Delesseria hypoglassum* was created by Anna Atkins in the 19th century. The image presents a stark contrast between the deep Prussian blue and the ghostly white impressions of seaweed specimens. Atkins, a botanist, used cyanotype printing to make detailed photograms of algae. What's striking is the interplay between science and art. The linear precision of each frond, captured through direct contact with the sensitized paper, gives us a hyper-realistic quality, almost an indexical sign of the plant itself. Yet, the arrangement of the seaweed, scattered across the blue field, disrupts the objective scientific gaze. The composition hints at a deeper engagement with form and aesthetics, rather than mere documentation. The starkness of the cyan and white palette reduces the algae to its most essential form, allowing us to focus on its structure. This interplay between scientific accuracy and artistic composition raises questions about the nature of representation itself, and the subjective role of the observer.