Lyngbya Carmichælii 1851 - 1855

Anna Atkins made this cyanotype, Lyngbya Carmichælii, in England sometime in the mid-19th century. It’s a photogram of seaweed, using photography not for portraiture but for scientific documentation. Consider the context: Photography was a relatively new technology. The Linnean system of classifying plants had become the standard. Science was increasingly specialized and professionalized, often excluding women. Yet, here’s Atkins, a woman, using cutting-edge technology to contribute to the field of botany. Her choice of cyanotype, a process that didn't require a camera, allowed her to directly imprint the specimens onto the paper. The stark white algae against the deep blue background creates a ghostly, ethereal image, blurring the lines between science and art. Atkins self-published her work, bypassing traditional institutions of scientific publishing, which were heavily male-dominated. Understanding this image requires us to look beyond its aesthetic appeal and delve into the social and institutional landscape of 19th-century science, gender, and the democratization of knowledge.