Smithsonian Books Releases Color: A Visual History from Newton to Modern Color Matching Guides

Smithsonian Books has released Color: A Visual History from Newton to Modern Color Matching Guides, by Alexandra Loske. Throughout history, artists, scientists and philosophers have attempted to explain and order the visible color spectrum. Color offers the history of how color has been recorded, explored and understood. Using a collection of original color material that includes charts, wheels, artists’ palettes and swatches, the book showcases centuries of scientific discoveries and artistic exploration. It celebrates the visual quality and beauty of various color theories over time and highlights the creativity of their design and codification. The book showcases everything from 14th-century illuminated manuscripts, Moses Harris’ The Natural System of Colours (ca. 1769) and Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours (1814) to Paul Klee’s color harmonies to highlight the interactions of science and art. The book is ideal for anyone working in the arts and all those passionate about color in their personal lives, homes and surroundings.

About the Author

            Loske is an art historian, curator, and editor with a particular interest in late 18th- and early 19th-century European art and architecture. She is the managing editor of the Frogmore Press, which publishes the Frogmore Papers literary journal and other collections.

About the Book

Title: Color: A Visual History from Newton to Modern Color Matching Guides
Author: Alexandra Loske
On-Sale Date: 3/5/19
Price: $40.00 / Pages: 240
ISBN: 978-1-58834-657-5
Smithsonian Books

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SI-79-2019