Lot 44: Anna Atkins

Anna Atkins
'athysium molle', circa 1853-54
Cyanotype Photogram, mounted on album page, titled by the photographer within the image,
256 by 202mm
Provenance:
Christie's, New York, May 6th 1985, lot 36.
Literature:
For a biography of Anna Atkins and an account of her photographic work see: Larry Schaaf, Sun Gardens, Victorian Photograms by Anna Atkins, New York, 1985. Schaaf explains (p. 36) how Atkins turned her attention to ferns as she was completing her British Algae project. She produced a volume of cyanotype photograms of ferns, presenting them in 1854 to her close friend Anne Dixon. Titled Cyanotypes of British and Foreign Flowering Plants and Ferns, this was 'the most impressive album Atkins is know to have produced. It survived intact until about four years ago, [i.e. circa 1980-81] but its now scattered plates are still an eloquent testimony to an accomplished artist.'