Anna Atkins book on English Algae

Paintin' growth

D
Paintin' growth

  • 0
  • 0
  • 20
Spain

A
Spain

  • 2
  • 0
  • 24
Machinery

A
Machinery

  • 6
  • 3
  • 90
Cafe art.

A
Cafe art.

  • 1
  • 7
  • 109

Forum statistics

Threads
198,099
Messages
2,769,577
Members
99,561
Latest member
jjjovannidarkroom
Recent bookmarks
0

removed account4

Subscriber
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Messages
29,833
Format
Hybrid
Yesterday ( 3/16 ) was Anna Atkin's birthday ! If you don't know who she was, she was most likely the first woman photographer ( its either her or Fox Talbot's wife Constance, but none of Constance's images survive ). Atkins was friends with Fox Talbot and Sir John Herschel ( Mr Fixer and Mr Cyanotype ). She made a self published book ( the first illustrated by photographs ! ) of Algae ( 1843-1853 ) called Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. Only 17 of these books exist. To put into context Talbot invented Calotypes+Saltprints in 1839, Herschel invented Cyanotypes in 1840 and Talbot's book ( the first commerically printed book with photographs ) The Pencil of Nature was published in 1844 !

Has anyone seen Atkin's book ? Yeah, I know the NY Public Library has a digital version online but there really is nothing like a physical BOOK. If you saw it, did it blow your mind ? Like Atkins, Darwin also made contact prints of botany when he was on the HMS Beagle.
 
Last edited:

Peter Schrager

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
4,100
Location
fairfield co
Format
Large Format
John they had the book at the recent exhibition. lovely but the light in the room for obvious reasons was very dim!!
 

Lachlan Young

Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2005
Messages
4,871
Location
Glasgow
Format
Multi Format
Yesterday ( 3/16 ) was Anna Atkin's birthday ! If you don't know who she was, she was most likely the first woman photographer ( its either her or Fox Talbot's wife Constance, but no images survive of Constance ). Atkins was friends with Fox Talbot and Sir John Herschel ( Mr Fixer and Mr Cyanotype ). She made a self published book ( the first illustrated by photographs ! ) of Algae ( 1843-1853 ) called Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. Only 17 of these books exist. To put into context Talbot invented Calotypes+Saltprints in 1839, Herschel invented Cyanotypes in 1840 and Talbot's book ( the first commerically printed book with photographs ) The Pencil of Nature was published in 1844 !

Has anyone seen Atkin's book ? Yeah, I know the NY Public Library has a digital version online but there really is nothing like a physical BOOK. If you saw it, did it blow your mind ? Like Atkins, Darwin also made contact prints of botany when he was on the HMS Beagle.

I've seen one of the 17 copies a couple of years ago - in many ways it's an epoch defining book from the perspectives of history of science & cultural history - though I'd argue that questioning whether it's artistically important (or was even intended as such) is perhaps rather beside the point compared to how revolutionary it was in so many other aspects.
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom