Backyard View c. 1900

Agnes Winterbottom Cooney made this photograph, "Backyard View," using the cyanotype process, one of the earliest photographic techniques. The cyanotype is created by coating paper with a solution of iron salts, then exposing it to ultraviolet light with a negative placed on top. After being washed and dried, it yields this distinctive Prussian blue print. Cyanotypes were embraced by botanists and architects for affordable reproduction of technical drawings, but Cooney here used it for aesthetic purposes. The intense blue saturates the scene with a dreamlike quality, while its simplicity speaks volumes. The choice of cyanotype democratizes the artistic process, reflecting a shift towards accessible forms of art-making. With its handcrafted charm and emphasis on process, Cooney blurs the lines between art and craft.