Enteromorpha compressa, var. 1851 - 1855

Anna Atkins made this cyanotype of "Enteromorpha compressa, var." using a process intimately tied to scientific documentation. Atkins, a botanist herself, placed the seaweed directly onto treated paper, exposing it to sunlight. The uncovered areas turned that striking Prussian blue, leaving a ghostly white silhouette where the plant blocked the light. This was a novel method, aligning with the rise of photography, yet remaining deeply rooted in the traditions of botanical illustration. What’s fascinating is how this technique democratized image-making. It required no artistic skill in the conventional sense, yet the results are undeniably beautiful. It's a system of mechanically reproducing images that bypasses the labor and the elitism surrounding the hand-made. Atkins’ work beautifully merges art and science, challenging our assumptions about creativity and the role of manual skill in the production of images. She allows us to consider how craft, science and art intersect and inform one another.