Plocamium coccineum c. 1843 - 1853

Anna Atkins made this photogram of Plocamium coccineum, a type of red algae, using the cyanotype process. Atkins placed the seaweed directly onto cyanotype paper, a surface treated with light-sensitive chemicals. When exposed to sunlight, the uncovered areas turned a deep Prussian blue, while the plant itself blocked the light, leaving a white silhouette. The result is an ethereal image, a ghostly record of the specimen's delicate form. What I find so compelling is that Atkins was at the intersection of art and science. Cyanotype, a relatively accessible technique, allowed Atkins to painstakingly document specimens for scientific purposes, and, in doing so, she created something aesthetically unique. This challenges our traditional notions of art, craft, and scientific documentation, blurring the lines between these disciplines. Atkins elevated a scientific process into the realm of art.