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28 Modernisation
Seaweed albums, true works of art
Ar bezhinegoù, gwir oberennoù arz
Long ignored by scholars, seaweed did not truly arouse scientific curiosity until the 18th century.
European naturalists then began to observe them, classify them… and mount them on paper. Born of this practice, the seaweed albums (alguiers) — collections of seaweed dried and fixed onto sheets — made it possible to preserve fragile specimens, to exchange knowledge and to compare species between researchers. The composition of their plates, their colours and their forms make them true works of art.
Today, the movement and texture of seaweed still inspire contemporary artists, designers and photographers, for creations that blend art, science and ecology.