Chylocladia ovalis c. 1843 - 1853

Editor: Here we have Anna Atkin's cyanotype, "Chylocladia ovalis," dating from the 1840s or 50s. It's ghostly and delicate. The stark white seaweed against the intense blue is really striking. What can you tell me about how this piece was received historically? Curator: Well, it's interesting to consider what was going on then. Photography was in its infancy. And scientific illustration was typically confined to detailed drawings. Atkins was part of a small community interested in science and experimental image making. How do you think that might have impacted the way this piece was received? Editor: I imagine that this artwork broke from convention, being scientific but also artistic in ways that maybe challenged ideas about how botanical studies should look? Curator: Precisely. Atkins' work wasn’t just documentation. Consider the fact that she chose cyanotype; a relatively inexpensive process. Her volumes were privately published and distributed, so one could argue, circulated outside traditional institutional settings. Do you think that altered the accessibility of scientific imagery at the time? Editor: Absolutely, she really democratized access by making it possible to distribute a low-cost image widely! Plus, making photographs of specimens sidestepped gender bias since women could participate. Curator: A very astute observation. It allowed for wider participation than traditionally seen, definitely pushing against certain power dynamics. And, in a way, isn’t that incredibly powerful? Editor: It is! I hadn’t considered the larger context beyond it being a beautiful piece. Seeing how she influenced the dialogue is really enlightening! Curator: It brings attention to how socio-political conditions of art truly shape both its production and viewership.