Cyanotype

Cyanotype is one of the oldest photographic processes still practised today. It was invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel, a British astronomer and chemist, while searching for a way to reproduce his scientific notes. The process relies on the photosensitivity of iron salts which, when exposed to ultraviolet light, produce an intense pigment — Prussian blue.

It was Anna Atkins, a botanist and friend of Herschel, who elevated the cyanotype to an art form. Between 1843 and 1853, she produced "Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions", widely considered the first book illustrated with photographs. Her botanical plates — seaweed placed directly on sensitised paper — are now held in the world's greatest institutions: the New York Public Library, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Getty Museum.

The process then found an unexpected second life in industry: for over a century, architects and engineers used cyanotype to reproduce their technical drawings — hence the English word "blueprint" (literally "blue print") which still refers to construction plans today.

Since the 1990s, cyanotype has experienced a major artistic renaissance. Contemporary artists such as Meghann Riepenhoff (who exposes her paper to Pacific Ocean waves), Christian Marclay, and Kate Cordsen (whose installations reach 276 m²) have propelled it into contemporary art galleries. World Cyanotype Day, celebrated on the last Saturday of September since 2015, brings together thousands of practitioners worldwide.

At Picturale, we have reformulated cyanotype chemistry to make it 100% non-toxic and kitchen-safe, with no compromise on the depth and richness of the blue achieved.

Every cyanotype print made by Maison Picturale is a unique piece, produced entirely by hand in our Parisian workshop.

The paper used is a 100% cotton satin watercolour stock at 640 g/m², chosen for its ability to absorb the emulsion deep into its fibres — the Prussian blue does not sit on the surface but dyes the very fibre of the paper. This ensures exceptional longevity and a tactile quality reminiscent of engraving.

Our formats range from Coquille (44 × 56 cm) to the monumental Univers (100 × 140 cm). Each print is individually sensitised, exposed, and developed, giving every piece subtle variations that make it truly one-of-a-kind.

You can send us your own image — photograph, illustration, or drawing — and we will transpose it into a cyanotype to your exact specifications. The result is a work at the crossroads of photography, printmaking, and painting.