Got the New York blues

Being more than a little interested in historical photographic processes, I have to admit that I am completely enamoured with cyanotypes. I want to own one for myself very badly. So when I found a set of beautiful blue images on the New York Public Library's flickr stream, I swooned, and then swooned some more. Anna Atkins' Cyanotypes of British Algae is not only beautiful, but also represents two important steps in the history of photography: it is the first published work by a female photographer, and moreover it is the first book produced entirely by photographic means. Even the title page is a jewel-like blue. Whoever knew algae could be so photogenic?

New York Library's flickr stream found via Swiss Miss.