Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions
The first book to be photographically printed and illustrated, Photographs of British Algae was published in fascicles beginning in 1843 and is a landmark in the history of photography. Using specimens she collected herself or received from other amateur scientists, Atkins made the plates by placing wet algae directly on light-sensitized paper and exposing the paper to sunlight. In the 1840s, the study of algae was just beginning to be systematized in Britain, and Atkins based her nomenclature on William Harvey's unillustrated Manual of British Algae (1841), labeling each plate in her own hand.
Although artistic expression was not her primary goal, Atkins was sensitive to the visual appeal of these "flowers of the sea" and arranged her specimens on the page in imaginative and elegant compositions. Uniting rational science with art, Photographs of British Algae is an ambitious and effective book composed entirely of cyanotypes, a process invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel and long used by architects to duplicate their line drawings as blueprints.
Although artistic expression was not her primary goal, Atkins was sensitive to the visual appeal of these "flowers of the sea" and arranged her specimens on the page in imaginative and elegant compositions. Uniting rational science with art, Photographs of British Algae is an ambitious and effective book composed entirely of cyanotypes, a process invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel and long used by architects to duplicate their line drawings as blueprints.
Artwork Details
- Title: Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions
- Artist: Anna Atkins (British, 1799–1871)
- Date: 1843–53
- Medium: Cyanotypes
- Dimensions: Image: 25.3 x 20 cm (9 15/16 x 7 7/8 in.) each
- Classification: Albums
- Credit Line: Gilman Collection, Purchase, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Gift, through Joyce and Robert Menschel, 2005
- Object Number: 2005.100.557 (1–154)
- Curatorial Department: Photographs
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Anna Atkins
ca. 1853
Anna Atkins
ca. 1853
Anna Atkins
ca. 1853
Anna Atkins
ca. 1853
Anna Atkins
ca. 1853
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.