Corallina squamata 1851 - 1855

Curator: Here we have Anna Atkins’s “Corallina squamata,” made between 1851 and 1855. The work utilizes the cyanotype process, resulting in a print rendered in stark shades of Prussian blue and white. Editor: My immediate impression is one of scientific precision mixed with artistic sensibility. The contrasting tones evoke a dreamlike quality, as though glimpsed through a deep-sea window. Curator: Indeed. Atkins, a botanist, was a pioneer in photography. Cyanotype, a relatively simple photographic printing process, allowed her to create detailed photograms of algae specimens. Note how the composition foregrounds the intricate structure of the subject. Editor: The corallina takes on a rather iconic quality, like an artifact preserved under glass. What meanings do you glean from such representation, considering Atkins's choice of media? Curator: Cyanotype imbues the image with an almost ethereal quality. The striking contrast elevates the algae, transforming a scientific specimen into a form to be contemplated aesthetically, not just empirically. Editor: So the artistic process acts as an amplifier, suggesting that nature itself holds an intrinsic beauty demanding representation. I sense, also, that Atkins' choice to use cyanotype, being associated with early scientific illustration, is an intriguing interplay of objective record and subjective expression. Curator: Precisely. The artistic intervention, even within the ostensibly objective photographic medium, renders the seaweed in a different dimension. There’s both presence and absence in these cyanotypes that make for a study of not just plant, but also art. Editor: Indeed. Considering the time and the limited choices in imaging available to scientists, "Corallina squamata" exists beautifully as an artistic commentary using scientific tools, resulting in unique scientific documentation. Thank you, I can say I learned quite a lot! Curator: The pleasure was mine. Let's proceed to our next selection!