Cyanotypes
The cyanotype process is directly related to the discovery by the English scientist Sir John Herschel of photosensitive properties of salts and ferrous metals and was presented to the scientific community at the Royal Society in London on 16 June 1842.
In 1843, Anna Atkins - a remarkable biologist - produced what is now considered as the first picture book, a botanical album consisting of three volumes, called Photographs of British Algae - Cyanotype Impressions, placing and pressing the plants on the surface of the sensitive paper.
Unfortunately, cyanotypes soon fall into disuse as a photographic process, mainly due to aesthetic issues (we can easily understand that only a very few would like to see their blue-toned portrait on the wall...).
The process was very quickly replaced by new printing techniques, such as Calotypes, Daguerreotypes or Albumins.
