The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of July 18, 2026

A vertical cyanotype features four luminous white silhouettes of plant fronds set against a flat, cerulean background. Two elongated, tapering leaves with finely rippled edges occupy the left and center. To the right, two smaller fronds are stacked vertically. Slender stems emerge from the bases of the lower specimens. At the bottom left, delicate handwritten white script identifies the species. The high-contrast print emphasizes the intricate, organic contours of the botanical forms.

Scolopendrium Vulgare

1852–54

Anna Atkins

(British, 1799–1871)

England, 19th century

cyanotype

Image: 33.3 x 22.9 cm (13 1/8 x 9 in.); Paper: 48.3 x 37.5 cm (19 x 14 3/4 in.); Matted: 61 x 50.8 cm (24 x 20 in.)

Norman O. Stone and Ella A. Stone Memorial Fund 1995.26

Location: Not on view

Description

In 1843, Anna Atkins produced the first book illustrated with photographs. The book was the earliest use of photography in a scientific publication. An amateur botanist, Atkins overcame the difficulties of making accurate drawings by placing plants directly on light-sensitive paper and exposing them to light. With these cameraless photographs, later called photograms, she was able to carefully record the basic elements of a plant's line, shape, and texture. This example illustrates a specimen of Scolopendrium Vulgare, also known as Hart's-Tongue fern.

Anne Dixon
Cleveland Museum of Art, Tom E Hinson. Catalogue of Photography. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1996. Reproduced: P. 89
CMA, November 20,1996 - February 2, 1997: "Legacy of Light: Master Photographs from the Cleveland Museum of Art."
Legacy of Light: Master Photographs from the Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 24, 1996-February 2, 1997).
{{cite web|title=Scolopendrium Vulgare|url=false|author=Anna Atkins|year=1852–54|access-date=18 July 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1995.26