Ulva latissima 1851 - 1855

Anna Atkins made this photogram of Ulva latissima, or sea lettuce, in the mid-19th century. The delicate, translucent form of the seaweed, rendered in a cyan-blue monochrome, evokes the mysteries of the natural world. Consider how the ethereal quality of the algae resonates with Botticelli's Venus, emerging from the sea—a symbol of beauty and rebirth. Here, however, the scientific exactitude of the image replaces the sensuous curves of the goddess. The blue, a color often associated with the Virgin Mary in religious art, adds a layer of symbolic depth. The photogram captures a sense of wonder, tapping into a collective fascination with nature and the unknown, inviting us to contemplate the interconnectedness of life and the cyclical rhythms of nature's renewal.