Anna Atkins, Thorea ramosissima, 1843–1853. Cyanotype on paper. Rijksmuseum, Netherlands. Public domain.
Recognizable by its intense blue color, cyanotype photography is a historical process that combines photography, material experimentation, and manual work. Developed in the 19th century, it continues to be part of contemporary artistic practice and presents technical peculiarities that are important to know when studying or acquiring a work. For collectors, understanding its process, conservation status, and provenance is key to evaluating each piece with greater discernment.
What is a Cyanotype? Definition and Key Characteristics
To fully understand what a cyanotype is, it should be approached from both a chemical and aesthetic perspective. It is a monochrome photographic process that creates images in a characteristic deep blue tone, known as Prussian blue. Strictly speaking, cyanotype is a contact printing process. This means that the object or negative is placed directly onto the sensitized surface during exposure. For this reason, it can be used without a camera to create photograms with plants, objects, and other materials, while also allowing images to be printed from negatives.
The cyanotype technique offers a wide variety of material possibilities. Although paper is the most common support, the solution can also be applied to certain fabrics and other absorbent surfaces. The choice of material influences the texture, sharpness, and the way the emulsion is distributed and integrated into the surface, so it is important to select it based on the desired outcome.
Visually, the result usually combines areas of deep blue with lighter zones, which correspond to the parts protected from light during exposure. In addition, when the solution is applied by hand, brushstrokes, uneven edges, and changes in intensity can remain visible in the work. In this way, the process reveals the choices and variations of each print, a quality that continues to attract artists interested in exploring materiality and historic photographic processes.
This visual presence also makes them easy to integrate into domestic spaces. Cyanotypes can be used as artworks for the living room or as part of a wall arrangement for the entrance hall, as long as lighting, humidity, framing, and conservation conditions are taken into account.
The History of Cyanotype
The history of cyanotype began in 1842, when the British scientist John Frederick William Herschel presented this process as part of his research into the action of light on various sensitive substances. Although initially developed as a photographic technique, decades later it began to be widely used to reproduce technical drawings and plans. These copies, characterized by their clear lines on a blue background, became known as blueprints.
Herschel was friends with the British botanist Anna Atkins (1799-1871) and her father, the scientist John George Children. This closeness allowed Atkins to learn about the new process early on and begin experimenting with its possibilities shortly after its invention. Atkins used cyanotype to record algae specimens using photograms. To do this, she placed the plants directly on sensitized paper and exposed them to light. The covered parts remained light, while the exposed areas acquired the characteristic blue color of the technique.
Anna Atkins, Dasya coccinea, 1843-1853. Cyanotype on paper. Rijksmuseum, Netherlands. Public domain.
In 1843, she began to produce Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, a work consisting of photograms of algae accompanied by their scientific names. The project eventually gathered three volumes and is considered the first book illustrated with photographic images, although it was produced and distributed privately, not as a commercial publication.
Currently, around seventeen copies of Photographs of British Algae are known, preserved in various states of integrity. Some belong to the collections of the British Library, the Royal Society, the Natural History Museum in London, the Rijksmuseum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the New York Public Library, among other institutions.
Cyanotype in Contemporary Art
During the 20th and 21st centuries, cyanotype was rediscovered by numerous artists as an experimental and creative technique. Today it is used to create photograms, textile works, artist books, installations, and pieces combined with drawing, painting, embroidery, and other printing processes.
Robert Rauschenberg and Susan Weil, Untitled [Double Rauschenberg], 1950. Cyanotype. Cy Twombly Foundation Collection. Image: Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.
A notable example is the work that Susan Weil and Robert Rauschenberg developed between 1949 and the early 1950s. Weil, who had known the technique since childhood, introduced Rauschenberg to this process, and together they created large-format cyanotypes using objects, fabrics, and human bodies placed directly on sensitized surfaces. Some of these works reproduced life-size figures and were presented as joint creations of both artists.
For years, Weil's contribution was overshadowed by Rauschenberg's. However, recent research has recovered her role as a pioneer of the technique and co-author of these cyanotypes. To discover other female creators who were also relegated in traditional narratives, you can read our article on 15 famous female painters who changed art history.
How the Cyanotype Process Works Step-by-Step
Knowing how to make a cyanotype helps to understand the technical decisions involved in each work. Although there are different variations, the traditional process is summarized in four main steps:
1. Preparing the solution: Two aqueous solutions are mixed: ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide.
2. Sensitizing the support: The mixture is applied with a brush or sponge to paper, fabric, or another absorbent surface and left to dry protected from light.
3. Composition and exposure: Plants, objects, or negatives are placed on the support and exposed to sunlight or a UV lamp. The areas that receive light begin to form the characteristic Prussian blue.
4. Washing: The piece is washed with water to remove unreacted compounds. This reveals the light areas and the final image.
Cyanotype vs. Conventional Photography
Cyanotype differs from other photographic processes due to several characteristics:
Prussian Blue: Its color is formed from iron compounds, whereas other techniques use silver, pigments, or inks.
Ability to work without a camera. It allows creating photograms by placing objects on the sensitized support, although it can also be done with negatives.
Visible manual intervention. Brush application can leave brushstrokes, irregular edges, and density variations that are part of the result.
Specific conservation. Cyanotypes can be affected by prolonged light exposure and alkaline materials, so they require proper mounting and storage.
Collecting and Specialist Advisory
As with cyanotype, knowing the technique, conservation status, provenance, and documentation of a work is fundamental before incorporating it into a collection. A well-defined strategy allows for the selection of pieces consistent with the interests and patrimonial objectives of each buyer.
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