![A book plate illustrating Ostwald’s double cone model mapping three color qualities: hue, whiteness/blacknes and saturation. The model is formed from sixty-four colored hexagons arranged in a horizontal diamond format with a white hexagon at the top and a black hexagon at the bottom. The colored hexagons follow a gradiation from white to bright orange on the top right and white to bright blue on the top left. Similarly, at the bottom from black to bright orange on the right and from black to bright blue on the left. The outside hexagons are labeled a, c, e, g, i, l, n, p from white to orange and from white to blue, and then conversely p, n, l, i, g, e, c, a from black to orange and from black to blue. In the top left corner black text states [Wilhelm Ostwald, Der Farbkörper 2.A.], meaning [Wilhem Ostwald, The Color Body 2.A.]. In the top right corner black text reads [Tafel 4], meaning [Table 4]. The numbers 16 with a smaller 63 underneath and 4 with a smaller 13 underneath are printed in black inside two circles on the left and right respectively.]( https://images.collection.cooperhewitt.org/335502_156689bc40639005_b.jpg
"Bookplate, Der Farbkörper (The Color Body)")
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Object Timeline
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1927 |
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2018 |
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2024 |
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Bookplate, Der Farbkörper (The Color Body)
This is a bookplate. It was written by Wilhelm Ostwald.
This object is not part of the Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection. It was able to spend time at the museum on loan from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives as part of Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color.
These cross sections of Ostwald’s double cone model reveal his systematic mapping of three color qualities: hue, whiteness/blackness, and chromaticness or saturation. His numerous publications devoted to color harmony sparked much debate and inspired several related color systems.
It is credited Smithsonian Libraries, QC495 .O85 1927 quarto.
- Book, Atlas of the Munsell Color System
- letterpress with collage on paper.
- Gift of Walter Granville, Smithsonian Libraries, ND1492 .M96a.
- 92.2016.33
- Book, Die Farbenfibel (The Color Primer)
- letterpress with collage on paper.
- Gift of Walter C. Granville, Smithsonian Libraries, ND1493 .O85 1928.
- 92.2016.42
- Bookplate, Farbmesstafel (Color Table)
- letterpress with collage on paperboard.
- Smithsonian Libraries, QC495.2 .O88 1939.
- 92.2016.51
Our curators have highlighted 4 objects that are related to this one. Here are three of them, selected at random:
- Drawing, Textile Design: Akropolis (Acropolis)
- brush and gouache on paper.
- Museum purchase from Smithsonian Collections Acquisition and Decorative Arts....
- 1988-62-151
- Book, The Color Harmony Manual and How to Use It
- plastic samples on board.
- Gift of Walter C. Granville, Smithsonian Libraries, QC495 .J33 1946X.
- 92.2016.67
- Book, Hesselgren's Colour Atlas: Colour Manual
- offset lithograph with collage on paper.
- Gift of Dorothy Nickerson, Smithsonian Libraries, QC495.2 .H58.
- 92.2016.44
Its dimensions are
H x W: 22 × 32 cm (8 11/16 × 12 5/8 in.)
This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color.
