Anna Atkins’ groundbreaking project, Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, is recognized as the first book to feature photographic illustrations, marking an important moment in photography and botanical documentation. Self-published in parts between 1843 and 1853, Atkins created this extraordinary collection in her home in Halstead, Kent, England, as a private initiative. The book reflects her scientific dedication and is an important early work in photographic history.
The project emerged during a transformative period in Victorian England when advancements in photography were unlocking new possibilities in art and science. Atkins, an English botanist educated in a scientific milieu unusual for women of her era, was inspired by her father, John George Children, and close connections with photographic innovators like Sir John Herschel and William Henry Fox Talbot. Herschel’s invention of the cyanotype process in 1842 provided Atkins with a practical and affordable means to document the intricate forms of British algae.
Atkins’ artistic vision was deeply intertwined with scientific exploration. She sought to complement William Henry Harvey’s unillustrated Manual of British Algae (1841) by creating detailed photograms of the specimens. Her cyanotypes transcend their scientific function, reflecting a sensitivity to the visual beauty of “flowers of the sea.” The rich, deep-blue tones and delicate silhouettes of the algae evoke an ethereal aesthetic, blending art with empirical precision.
The technical process employed by Atkins was as innovative as her vision. By placing algae directly onto iron-sensitized paper and exposing it to sunlight, she produced strikingly detailed white-on-blue impressions. She extended this approach to include handwritten text and titles, often integrating decorative elements such as seaweed-inspired letterforms, emphasizing the artisanal aspect of her production.
Although only a limited number of copies were produced, Photographs of British Algae received acclaim within scientific circles and continues to influence photography and botanical illustration. It predates William Henry Fox Talbot’s The Pencil of Nature by several months and stands an important milestone in photographic publishing.
In recent years, public awareness has grown through Blue Prints: The Pioneering Photographs of Anna Atkins (New York Public Library, 2018–19) and its companion show Anna Atkins Refracted, displays at the V&A Photography Centre (2018), and inclusions in MoMA’s Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography (2010–11) and the touring What They Saw: Historical Photobooks by Women, 1843–1999. Seventeen copies of Photographs of British Algae are known to exist today, with institutions such as the Royal Society, the British Library, and the New York Public Library holding notable editions.
